


Fate/collision

by Cyberweasel89



Category: Fate/stay night & Related Fandoms
Genre: Adoption, Androgyny, Cats, Character Development, Eventual Romance, Exhibitionism, Familiars, Family, Florida, Fluff and Smut, Gen, Genderfluid Character, Golems, Healers, Healing, Height Differences, Hidden Depths, Holy Grail War (Fate), Hurt/Comfort, Large Breasts, Large Cock, Mages, Magic, Multi, Nudity, Partial Nudity, Polyamory, Public Nudity, Romance, Slow Burn, Slow Romance, Spells & Enchantments, Talking Animals, Teasing, Vampires, Wolves
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-27
Updated: 2020-10-26
Packaged: 2021-03-04 02:14:31
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 28,523
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24945952
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cyberweasel89/pseuds/Cyberweasel89
Summary: It's the summer of 2019 and a Holy Grail War is upon us in Orlando, Florida. Seven Masters, seven Servants. But what caused the emergence of this Holy Grail, and who is the mysterious Overseer administrating the Orlando Holy Grail War? In this Grail War, paths don't cross... they collide.
Comments: 4
Kudos: 14





	1. Ideals & Information [Act 1]

"Fill. Fill. Fill. Fill. Fill. Let each be turned over five times, simply breaking asunder the fulfilled time. Let silver and steel be the essence. Let stone and the archduke of contracts be the foundation. Let my great master Bina be the ancestor. Raise a wall, against the wind that shall fall. Close the four cardinal gates. Come out from the crown. Rotate the three-branched road reaching the Kingdom. I shall declare here. Your body shall serve under me."  
  
Christ, that phrasing felt dirty.  
  
"My fate shall be with your sword. Submit to the beckoning of the Holy Grail. If you will submit to this will and this reason... then answer!"  
  
He hoped he was doing this right...  
  
"An oath shall be sworn here! I shall attain all virtues of all of Heaven. I shall have dominion over all evils of all of Hell!"  
  
He had the summoning circle, he had the supplies. He had a Catalyst, albeit he didn't know who for. He just found some gems and jewelry in his family's vault recovered from France, labeled as a potential Catalyst, but not for who. Damn clerical errors...  
  
"From the Seventh Heaven, attended to by three greet words of power. Come forth from the ring of restraints. Protector of the Holy Balance!"  
  
This all seemed pretty crazy... The Holy Grail was dismantled ages ago, so it was hard to believe when a Command Seal appeared on his body. He didn't even feel comfortable doing this in his Workshop, lest his family's Golems find out and report the noise to his parents. So he set this summoning circle up in a motel room... Oh, so he'd draw the attention of the motel guests instead of the help? Wow, good call, Einstein!  
  
Well, at least it was an impressive light show... Did that mean he did it right? Oh god, that's a lot of smoke! He coughed and hacked, dropping to his knees. When he raised his hand, he squinted into the smoke, trying to make out an obscured figure. Did he really summon a Servant? Was he really going to enter an honest-to-god Holy Grail War?  
  
As the smoke cleared a body began to solidify. Her chocolate locks swayed across her back, the fabric of her ensemble flowing gently as it scantily draped her flawless, sun-kissed skin. She held her hands out to him, a smile as warm as the sun stretched across perfect white teeth, her large bust slightly bouncing with each movement.  
  
"Servant Assassin at your service. You must be my master, right? You may call me Mata Hari." Sparkling grey eyes reminiscent of sunlight looked about their surroundings.  
  


  
He was on his knees, awestruck at the sight of her. Wow, he... couldn't believe it. He summoned a Servant! Assassin, though? Was that a good Class? Mata Hari... he'd heard that name somewhere before...  
  
Her voice couldn’t properly convey her beauty, however. It was not an exaggeration to say that once the mist had cleared, she could only be described as drop dead gorgeous. Like, he'd seen plenty of beautiful women on the Internet. Hell, living in Orlando, it wasn't unusual to walk down the street in a bikini. He wasn't even afraid to admit that he enjoyed androgynous men to a lesser extent. But this Assassin? He figured only a Heroic Spirit could be this beautiful.  
  
A young lady on the cusp of becoming a mature woman, she had an ageless quality that appealed to him. Her golden dancing attire was just as revealing as some of the girls in vintage gravure magazines and heavily accented her shapely curves and soft skin. Legs for days, hips that wouldn't quit, and her face with her shimmering hair and enthralling eyes…  
  
It was almost embarrassing, really, how much he was staring at her. He liked to think he had a pretty good handle on his libido, that he knew not to objectify-Shit, focus! Stop staring at your new Servant's chest! Her... massive, jiggling, barely-clothed chest... Crap, was he drooling?  
  
"Wow, it's like you knew you were summoning me," she giggled, leaning forward to look at the young man who was kneeling in front of the summoning circle. Her bust swayed in response and he got a view down her top that made his cheeks heat up. "But," a finger tapped on full lips, "I doubt this cheap motel room is your Workshop?"  
  
He blushed even more, waving his hands in front of him. "No, no, no! I, I just... I figured this motel would be a quiet place to summon you without disturbing others, and... Ugh, I'm bad at quick decisions..." He sighed, hanging his head.  
  
She giggled again. A light, pretty, lovely giggle. "Wow, my Master's really cute this time, at least! Though I should warn you," Assassin stood upright again and rubbed the back of her head with a nervous chuckle, "I'm not a good servant for battle, eh hee hee."  
  
As she giggled, his eyes were automatically drawn to the bounce it caused to her chest. Dammit... Why did he, a part-time boobman, have to summon the bustiest girl he'd ever seen outside of hentai? And she thought he was cute! Either she was being sincere, trying to get brownie points, or she was just a natural, shameless flirt... Either way was good with him! Still, a Servant who wasn't good for battle? But... She was an Assassin! Didn't they, like... straight up kill people? That was kinda the definition of an "assassin..." Unless Heroic Spirits defined an assassin differently?  
  
Her eyes glanced to the priceless jewels sitting in front of him, which acted as the Catalyst for summoning her, some undecipherable light flashing through her eyes, but it passed as quickly as it came. She turned and flung herself on the motel bed, kicking her sandal-clad feet back and forth as she looked through some of the papers he had scattered there. "You're a Magus, hm? So you must be really smart. I guess we should work up a strategy, huh?"  
  
He awkwardly pulled himself to his feet, trying not to look at her chest or legs as she sat on the motel bed and looked through his papers. He pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose with two fingers, realizing they had slid down a bit. "Uh, yeah, I'm... My Magus family's pretty prestigious. I like to think I'm kinda smart, I guess..." he mumbled. But if Assassin wasn't any good in a fight... Well, his family's Magecraft wasn't really offensively-oriented, either. Were they screwed?  
  
"Our best plan of action would most likely be gathering information for now," She explained as slender fingers thumbed through his notes on Grail Wars he gathered from his estate's library. "If we have to fight via direct combat we may not get very far on our own, sorry."  
  
"Uh, it's fine... I'll think of something," he mumbled, rubbing the back of his head.  
  
She sat up and crossed one long leg over the other off the edge of the bed. "What is your name, cutie? Or shall I just call you _Master_?"  
  
...Did she have to say the word so suggestively?  
  
 _...Yes. Yes she did._  
  
He blushed and rubbed the back of his head, glancing away from the astonishingly gorgeous woman sitting on the motel bed in front of him. "Uh... I'm Will Goldman..."  
  
"Uh, I wouldn't really feel comfortable with a title like Master, but... You're free to call me whatever you want, I guess," he mumbled.  
  
Her face rose into an alluring and playful smile. "I'll take that into consideration... _Maaaster~_ " The word rolled off her tongue in a honey-silken voice that could make any man melt. After a quick giggle she added, "but I should advise you to call me Assassin in front of enemy Servants and rival Masters. It would be a grave disadvantage on our part if anyone knew who I was."  
  
A sexual thrill-induced shudder ran up his spine at the hentai-level voice calling him _Master_ of all things. His Assassin may not have been a good fighter, but he definitely was going to die if she was going to send libidinous arousal through him with just a single word. He nodded, turning his head away and casting a side glance at his Servant, trying to ignore the way her giggle made her chest undulate. "That seems smart... I'll just call you Mata Hari in private, then." Mata Hari... he'd have to look her up. He needed to know what this Heroic Spirit had done in life to warrant a place in the Throne of Heroes...  
  
She burst out into yet another airy giggle. He averted his eyes to not get taken in by the anatomical reaction. "That reaction is just so cute! Oh, I'm going to enjoy this. Now, tell me, is there anything I should know?"  
  
"Uhh..." He pulled out his phone, skimming through it to his notepad app. "Let's see... It's June 27th, 2019. You were summoned to Orlando, Florida in the United States of America. We're at Midpointe Hotel, a cheap motel I rented a night in to prepare to summon you. It's currently just past two o'clock AM but I made sure to get plenty of rest before I started the ritual. Uh, what else... Oh! My Command Seal just appeared on me a few days ago. This is the first Grail War since the fifth one in Japan fifteen years ago. I don't know why there's one here in Orlando right now, but the fact I was able to summon you proves it's a Grail War, I guess."  
  
Assassin tapped her chin, gazing up as if in thought. "Hmmm... Quite odd. I don't seem to have any knowledge as to anything off about this Grail War. I have all the knowledge I should need for it and this modern era."  
  
"Yeah, but... Here's the odd thing. The University of Central Florida summer classes just ended several days ago, and the campus dorms closed just a couple days after that. That means people not at school are free and people who came here to attend college have left town. It's almost like this Grail War was timed strategically for less witnesses and more free time for the participants."  
  
She nodded. "That might be paranoia, but... Well, I'll do some digging later, see what I can find," Assassin assured him, giving him a warm smile.  
  
"Uh... Thanks." Assassin sure was turning out easy to work with, even if she wasn't strong in a fight and a tease. His eyes wandered, and when he noticed the dust atop the sun-kissed skin of her breasts from the summoning, that's when something in his mind clicked. "Oh! Would you like to use the room's shower?"  
  
She smiled alluringly, crossing her legs and raising them to rest her feet against the side of the bed, her hands clasped on her knee. "Oh, so you want me clean first, do you? Why don't you join me? I'll wash your back," she teased.  
  
J-Join her? She'd wash his back?!  
  
...  
  
Will dot exe has stopped working.  
  
Assassin burst into a giggle at his stammering, redfaced response. "Your blushing face is so cute! Relax, Master. I'm only kidding," she assured, smiling and heading to the nearby attached bathroom. As she walked, her golden dancer's clothes slowly dissolved into sparkles and he looked away before he could get an eyeful, his face red. "Or am I?" she added before ducking into the bathroom.  
  
Her verbal addition sent another sexual shudder through him, though all he dignified in response was a simple groan. He heard the shower start up... She left the door wide open. Dammit, this woman would be the death of him... Probably more than just figuratively, considering this Grail War.  
  
Sighing, he took a seat on the bed, listening to the shower running and a pleasing humming from his Servant. Well, he had some time while Assassin showered. He didn't think Assassin could hear him with the shower running, so he'd have to talk to her later. He grabbed his laptop from his bag and booted it up, turning to Google. He needed to find three things: A good place to eat, a good place to get his Servant some clothes that weren't so provocative and out of place... and to Google Mata Hari.  
  
Let's see... There was the B-Line Diner just a few minutes walk from the motel. As for clothes... The K&G Fashion Superstore over on W Colonial Drive would probably be the best bet, but it was closed until morning and it was about thirty minutes away, plus tolls. Still, B-Line Diner was open 24/7 and at this time of night, maybe Assassin's outfit wouldn't draw too much attention? No one will notice if there's no one to notice, after all..  
  
Now, Googling Mata Hari. He found a Wikipedia article, nice! Huh, looked like she was the original honey trap. Margaretha Geertruida "Margreet" MacLeod (née Zelle; 7 August 1876 – 15 October 1917), better known by the stage name Mata Hari, was a Dutch exotic dancer and courtesan who was convicted of being a spy for Germany during World War I and executed by firing squad in France. Wow... that's pretty tragic. But if she was a spy, maybe that's why she was an Assassin Class? Oh, hey, pictures of her... What?! But... she was so flat!

**-o-**

  
Well, thank goodness for the Grail giving her basic knowledge of modern day. She could work this shower just fine. Humming a little tune to herself, she lathered up her hair with the motel's shampoo, standing just outside of the hot spray. The water was hot and steaming just like she liked it. After washing and rinsing her thick dark hair she thoroughly lathered and scrubbed her most intimate places.  
  
Well, she supposed it was nice to be out of the Throne of Heroes for a bit, even though she'd not remember it once her Servant vessel was destroyed. Her master was nice so far. So fun to tease! His awkwardly embarrassed reactions were priceless. With his glasses and study of Magecraft, she was betting he was sexually inexperienced. No doubt that was why he reacted so much to her teasing.  
  
Still, she didn't know much about him, and information was her greatest weapon. She left the shower running as she stepped out and grabbed a towel. A little trick she learned as a spy, most men assume women take long showers. With the water going she could easily sneak about while her target was asleep or busy so she could snoop.  
  
And lo and behold with a peek out the open door, she saw Will sitting on the bed, going about something... disappointingly innocuous. Hmmm... Might be a good chance to tease him some more, though. She figured she'd walk out, sneak behind him while he's distracted, and ask what's next on the agenda. Assassin licked her lips, wrapping a small towel about her waist. The lower curve of her bottom was exposed and every bit of cleavage, too. Silently, she slipped behind Will while he was distracted by his laptop, climbing onto the bed.  
  
"Oh, you're doing some research, huh?" She rang in his ear as she hugged him from behind, her softness pressing into his back.  
  
"Uh, I, uh, um..." he stammered.  
  
She swung around him and sat down beside him, legs kicking off the edge of the bed and her thigh pressing against his. "You could have just asked, y'know." She giggled, the jiggle in her breasts causing beads of water to slide down into the hem of the towel. The young man's glasses slid down his nose as his eyes caught the sight.  
  
She walked her fingers up Will's leg, causing said leg to flinch. How cute... "They say the Grail grants a Servant in the form their Master most yearns for," she hummed, half lidded eyes looking up into his. "So does that mean my Master is a dirty little pervert?" she leaned in, pressing her chest against his arm, the towel straining not to pop off. She smirked, and then sighed. "Of course not. You're too sweet, right?" she mused.  
  
"Uh, I, uh... A-A-Actually, I have a d-d-different theory..."  
  
Oh? He had more backbone than she thought. "Enlighten me, Maaaster~" she purred.  
  
He cleared his throat, no doubt trying to reboot his brain. "In all your performances in life, you almost never took off your bra... I hear it's because you were really self-conscious about being flat-chested. So, and this is a little out there, but hear me out... what if, so you could be a better Assassin, the Grail gave you a body you wouldn't be self-conscious about?" He smirked. "Though, to be honest, if you're proud of your new assets... I wouldn't mind you..."  
  
Wow, he was gutsier than he looked. What else could she do but up the ante? "Oh? If I'm proud of my new assets, you wouldn't mind if I... showed them off?" She grinned, reaching up to the hem of her towel and pulling it away from her skin just a pinch.  
  
"Um... uh... Y-You, uh... J-J-guh, uh..." Ah, there was the adorable stammering she enjoyed.  
  
"I would, you know. You don't even have to use a Command Seal. I would." She reached up and traced shapes on his chest with her finger. "Just. For. You."  
  
Will's face turned beet red and he was fairly certain his brain melted out of his ears. "..."  
  
Assassin smirked. "I didn't hear a no!"  
  
Sigh... She couldn't figure this guy out. Adulterers, perverts willing to spend ludicrous amounts of wealth on courtesans, arrogant upper echelons of society, drunkards... Which was her Master? He'd shown no sign of taking advantage of her or acting on any lust he might feel, despite how blatantly provocative she was acting. It was actually starting to frustrate her... She could easily get him using her Pheromone Skill, but she'd vowed never to use that on an ally, and that would defeat the purpose of her teasing. Yeah, his reactions were adorable and fun, but why hadn't he jumped her bones yet? Was he hiding his true nature? Or was he a truly kind gentleman? She'd certainly never met one in her lifetime, but she knew they existed. If so, maybe he’d be easier to navigate around if she bought him a whore for a day or two… nah.  
  
["Congratulations on summoning Assassin."]  
  
Mata Hari and Will both jumped. That voice speaking directly into their heads... Smooth, handsome... An Englishman?  
  
["You are the third Master to enter the Holy Grail War. I suppose you should feel quite glad for the extra prep time, hm?"]  
  
"Wh-Who are you?" Will exclaimed, eyes darting around the room.  
  
["I am the overseer of this Grail War. I am capable of speaking to you through the same mental connection a Master and Servant have. I am the one who will act as impartial supervisor to the events that shall occur in Orlando. I can award extra Command Seals to Masters who have performed some manner of overseer-mandated emergency action and Masters who have lost their Servant may find shelter at a neutral ground where I reside. No Servants can enter this neutral ground due to a Bounded Field and Masters are not allowed to battle there."]  
  
Will glanced at Assassin, who simply shrugged. "This is news to me. Hey, can we ask you some questions?"  
  
["Of course, dear boy. I am happy to provide what information I can, but do note that it would be unsportsmanlike of me to reveal anything that would spoil things."]  
  
"Who are you? Are you a real person?" Will asked.  
  
["Ah, but are any of us truly real? Perhaps I and this entire world are only figments of your imagination, purely observable because you are aware of them?"]  
  
"...Solipsism? Really?"  
  
["Apologies, I couldn't resist a minor jest. Rest assured, I am not some kind of avatar for the Grail. I am as much of a person as you or Assassin."]  
  
...Fair enough. "Where is this neutral ground?"  
  
["Mmmm... Unfortunately, I feel it is in my and this Grail War's best interest to keep that fact a mystery for now. Rest assured, when a Servant is killed and a Master knocked out of the race, I will of course reveal the location to them so they may seek shelter from the other Masters and Servants."]  
  
...Damn. If information was going to be his only chance at victory, he might need to send out one of his Golems to try and find this place, just for some kind of advantage. "How did this Grail War start, exactly? The one used in the Fuyuki Holy Grail Wars was dismantled..."  
  
["An excellent question, and I can see why you'd ask that."]  
  
..."Are you going to answer it?" Assassin asked.  
  
["Of course not. I don't have all the answers, and I am just as curious about this mystery as you are."]  
  
Dammit... "Well, why is it in Orlando? Is the Grail anchored to a ley line or did it select a random location of suitable power?"  
  
["My dear, you are a native of Florida, yet you did not know? Florida is absolutely teeming with powerful ley lines. In fact, one of the largest intersections of major ley lines occurs right between Florida and the supposed Bermuda Triangle border. It is little doubt that the massive quantity and quality of ley lines in Florida is what is anchoring this Grail, but as for why Orlando, specifically? That is quite the mystery..."]  
  
This Overseer didn't seem to know much more about the nature of this Grail War than Will did... "Is this an irregular Grail War?"  
  
["Yes.”]  
  
“...in what way?”  
  
[“I can’t give you _all_ the answers, you know. You’re perfectly capable of using your faculties to reason it out, I’m sure.”]  
  
Motherfu-. Cheeky little Brit... "What other two Servant Classes have been summoned besides Assassin?"  
  
["The Caster and the Berserker have already been summoned. We are still awaiting the other four Masters to summon the Saber, Lancer, Archer, and Rider."]  
  
"Can you tell us anything about the other Masters or Servants?" Assassin asked.  
  
["No."]  
  
Both Will and Assassin were silent as they waited for the explanation, not willing to give him the satisfaction of asking.  
  
He sighed. ["I cannot give either of you any information that would give you an unfair advantage. I must be an impartial administrator."]  
  
Will looked to his partner, who shrugged. "Fair enough. Is there anything we should be doing before all the Servants are summoned?"  
  
["Prepare. Gather intel, research, train, get to know your partner, relax to insure you are refreshed for the battles to come."]  
  
Hm... "How would Assassin best utilize her skills?"  
  
["Hmmm, how indeed? You have a woman sitting next to you with exacting knowledge of her own capabilities, has it occurred to you to ask her advice?”]  
  
"Well, I was kind of hoping for an outside opinion, but... Mata Hari?" Will turned to her.  
  
The woman smiled. "My parameters are pretty much the bare minimum. I don't even have the Presence Concealment Class Skill like a typical Assassin. But with my Espionage Personal Skill acting as a substitute, I can cause others, even Servants, to mistake me for anything from a harmless bystander to a kind neighbor or beloved person. With my Pheromone Skill, I can dissolve the wariness of men and women alike and, so long as I say the right things, obtain information from even the innermost circles. With Double Cross, I can turn that information back on them, reducing the effectiveness of their own Skills in a more literal sense. And finally, my Noble Phantasm lets me brainwash entire groups of people so long as they do not have mental resistances or aren't Berserkers under Mad Enhancement. It wears off after sunrise, but leaves no evidence of having been used, so I can use it on the same person more than once, and if they fail even once, they have a handicap to resist it next time. My unique blend of Skills, combined with my low parameters and almost nonexistent upkeep, mean that it is almost impossible to detect that I am even a Servant. Aside from someone with Jewel-class or higher Mystic Eyes, or certain detection-based Personal Skills, not even another Servant should be capable of identifying me as being Assassin unless they catch me using my Noble Phantasm and resist it."  
  
"Wow... This is a level of stealth that's potentially better than a more typical Assassin Class Servant's Presence Concealment," Will commented.  
  
"Yes, but... I'm a one-trick pony. I gather information. No door is closed to me, no lips are sealed, I am the perfect infiltrator and seductress. The only ones who could resist me are true sociopaths. But it will be up to you to do the actual fighting. The most I could do is kill a Master in his sleep. Even ambushing a Magus from behind is a risky move for me," she explained.  
  
Will crossed his arms, reaching up to adjust his glasses. "...Assassin, you're sounding more and more like sheer paranoia fuel in a Grail War."  
  
She smiled and bowed. "I live to serve, Maaaster~."  
  
He blushed, then looked up to address the Overseer again. "I think that's everything, but... Are there any overseer policies you want to announce to all the Masters and Servants before we get started?"  
  
["Mmmm... Not an official policy, no. But I do have a... preference. While I will not penalize anyone for doing so, I would very much appreciate it if the Masters and Servants did not advance to open conflict until all the Servants have been successfully summoned. The game will be just so much more intriguing if all the pieces are on the board before the first overt moves are made."]  
  
...Huh. "Well, thank you, Overseer. I guess that's everything."  
  
["Of course, dear boy. If you have any more questions or things to report, just contact me via the Master-Servant mental connection. May the odds be in your favor."]  
  
Will and Assassin both felt the connection fade, which probably meant the Overseer wasn't spying on them or anything. A bit relieved at that, Will turned to Mata Hari. "Hungry? There's a diner just a couple minutes walk away that's open twenty-four hours. I can buy you an early breakfast."  
  
Hmmm... Servants didn't need to eat, but... Was he offering out of kindness, or to try and butter her up like the typical man in her life? Probably accept just to find out. "Famished, Master. Let's go," Assassin said, dropping the towel as she rematerialized her outfit, and smiling as Will hastily looked away.  
  
"Hang on," Will held out his hand to halt her. He began gathering his things and grabbed a zipper hoodie, which he tossed to his Servant. "Wear that. It should draw less attention than your current outfit."  
  
Assassin shrugged and slipped the garment on. Will was a pretty big guy, so while it didn't perfectly fit, it was big, soft, and smelled like him. She dematerialized her top and zipped it up about halfway, eager to see his reaction.  
  
He did not disappoint. After he stuffed his belongings into his backpack, he turned around and nearly recoiled in shock at the sight of her deep cleavage barely concealed in the half-zipped hoodie. "Why do you do that?!" he exclaimed.  
  
"Because your reactions make it so fun, Master! Now let's go," she spun and grabbed Will's hand, heading out the door of their room. Will had already paid the front desk in advance for his stay, so he just had to write his name in the check-out at the registry and he and Assassin were on their way. As they got to the exit to the motel's parking lot, Will held back.  
  
"Wait, wait, wait! Need to do something." Will stopped and pulled his bag off his shoulder, opening it up and removing a folded black garment. He unfolded it to reveal it was a maid uniform.  
  
"Oh, Master! I didn't think you were into that kind of play," Assassin teased.  
  
Will blushed, laying the maid uniform on the ground along with a pair of black flats. "It's not for you..." He then reached into his bag and pulled out an old book with no words on either cover. He opened it, revealing slightly yellowed pages that also had no words on them. "Maritess, I need you for something."  
  
The pages sprung to life, coming undone from the binding of the book and leaving it empty. The pages flowed from the spine and down to the maid uniform, filling it up. Before Assassin's eyes, a person began to form. The papers fluttered and bonded together, eventually forming a girl.  
  
Her skin was pale, her hair snow white, and her eyes a light gray. She was slender, short at five foot two, and had shapely legs shown via the knee-length skirt of her black and white maid uniform. It was a closed-bust uniform with a white apron and white frills accenting the collar and apron straps, but the girl looked flat as a board and her long hair was hanging loose until Will tossed her two white ribbons, which she used to do it up in twin tails. Her face was cute and pretty and as she curtsied before Will, a bright smile was on her face. "Willy-Will! Ah, so good to stretch my legs! Don't worry, I heard everything. Shall I go search all the churches in town?"  
  
Will smiled, reaching forward to pat the white girl on the head. She nearly purred in response. "Please. I'd really appreciate it, Tess."  
  
"Who is this?" Assassin asked.  
  
Will and the maid turned to her. "This is Maritess, my best friend and personal assistant."  
  
"Please, call me Tess!" the maid chirped, giving a little leap.  
  


  
"Is this... A Golem?" Mata Hari chanced.  
  
Maritess jumped up and down. "Ding ding ding! Correctamundo! I'm a Golem, Familiar, and Mystic Code belonging to my Willy-Will! Again, please, call me Tess!"  
  
Assassin watched and smiled as Maritess ran over and hugged Will's arm, nuzzling her cheek against his bicep. "Tess was the first Golem I ever created," Will explained. "I made her out of ancient parchment, high in Mystery, so she's actually pretty powerful. And having my Magical Energy as fuel, she can cast Healing Magecraft and do Golemancy, so she's acted as my assistant plenty of times."  
  
"Hee hee hee! Willy-Will made me when he was only eight years old! He was lonely and wanted a friend! I've dedicated myself to serving him ever since!"  
  
"Tess!" Will exclaimed, blushing at his Familiar's candidness.  
  
Assassin giggled. "My my, Master. I didn't know you were into maid play."  
  
Will blushed and sputtered. It was Tess who spoke up. "Hey, I wear this and act as Willy-Will's maid because I want to!" she barked. "Besides, the Golems of the Goldman Family _do_ function as the estate's servants, so I _am_ technically his personal maid. Besides, I'm not even anatomically correct! Seriously, Willy-Will, couldn't you have at least given me nipples?"  
  
The Golemancer blushed even harder. "I was eight years old at the time! You honestly expected a pre-pubescent kid to craft naughty bits on his first Golem?"  
  
Huh... maybe she had her Master wrong? "So, Tess, was it? Think you can investigate all the churches in town?"  
  
She jumped away from Will and raised her hand, saluting with a goofy grin on her elfish face. "You bet! I can probably even pick up some things for dinner tonight while I'm at it! I'll see you two tonight! Hey, can I call you Sassy for short?"  
  
Assassin brought her hand to her mouth to hide her giggle. "Fine by me, Tess."  
  
"Then I'll catch you later, alligators!" The spirited Golem turned and rushed off, her flats clicking on the pavement as she held her skirt in her hands.  
  
Assassin turned to Will, smirking. "You're just full of surprises, Maaaaster~"  
  
The Magus blushed, reaching up to push his glasses back up his nose, hiding his face with his hand in the process.

**-o-**

  
As they walked down the street, Mata Hari glanced at Will Goldman, examining him.  
  


  
Short, shaggy, dirty blonde hair, black glasses over green eyes, fair skin. His face was youthfully cute and definitely not unattractive. He was dressed in just a long-sleeve gray shirt with the Legend of Zelda printed on it, blue jeans, and faded white sneakers. She briefly wondered what kind of underwear he was wearing and the state of what he had under the hood. He was very much on the tall side at 6'9", which put him at over a full head taller than her 5'4". It was hard to tell through his clothes, but judging from his wide build, broad shoulders, and the definition in his arms, he took care of himself. Those arms looked pretty toned... Wait, where was his Command Seal? She couldn't see it on his hands, neck, or face, so was it on his torso or arms somewhere?  
  
All in all, he was cute. Like a big geek. Very a _dork_ able. He seemed pretty nice so far, but she'd met so many horrible men in her life, she was hesitant to conlude whether he was putting on an act or just a genuinely nice guy... Maybe a test was in order?  
  
"Hey, about what you said," Mata Hari began, skipping ahead of her Master and hooking her hands behind her back, leaning forward a bit to look up and gaze Will directly in the face. "About me being paranoia fuel... You do know I'm perfectly capable of brainwashing or charming you, right?" she asked.  
  
Will stopped, looking his Servant in the eye. A small smile graced his face. "Yeah, not gonna lie, the thought crossed my mind."  
  
Ah, of course it did. Like she thought, he was smart. So then why hadn't he done or said anything about it? "Did you... ya know, want to use a Command Seal to tell me I'm not allowed to use my Skills or Noble Phantasm on you?" she asked, biting her lower lip.  
  
He thought about it... But he really didn't have to think long. "Nah, don't worry. I trust you implicitly. You wouldn't use those abilities on me without good reason."  
  
It was Assassin's turn to blush, something not lost on her by Will. He... trusted her? She couldn't remember the last time a guy had said that to her... Love, sure. They all said that when they were deep enough in her or their cups, but genuine trust? She shook her head to try and clear the feeling of warmth filling her, and when she saw Will about to comment on it, she hastily unzipped his hoodie and let it hang open, fanning herself.  
  
The reaction was instantaneous, and actually helped to restore some of her controlled confidence. "Mata- Assassin! What're you doing?!" he exclaimed.  
  
"It's Florida. I'm hot," she explained, hoping that, in addition to the skin and ampleness crashing his train of thought, the reason would explain away her blush.  
  
He bit his lip and turned away, sighing. "C'mon, we're almost at the diner," he said, beginning to walk again.  
  
Assassin hurried to catch up to him, not bothering to rezip the hoodie he'd given her. "Hey, don't worry. If anyone comments, I'll zip it back up. Promise! Unless you like my breasts on display and would rather I didn't, Maaaster~?"  
  
He just grumbled and adjusting his glasses as an excuse to hide his blushing face. Ha, Servant 2, Master 1.  
  


**-o-**

  
They arrived at the B-Line diner to find it pretty much deserted aside from one college aged-looking girl on a laptop, possibly a writer, and two truckers. They found an out-of-the-way spot and sat to look over their menus. A server came over, briefly widening her eyes and blushing at the sight of Assassin being topless save for a completely open hooded sweatshirt, but relaxed after a moment. Sort of. Her shock faded, but her blush remained, and she seemed flustered in a way that looked more like arousal than discomfort.  
  
Dammit... Will didn't anticipate that it probably didn't matter how much Assassin dressed down, she was still pretty much the world's most beautiful woman. If what he'd heard on Wikipedia had been true, she'd stripped naked during her execution and the firing squad had to put on blindfolds to prevent them from being entranced by her beauty. Of course, it was cited as likely an exaggeration, but the fact it was still believable spoke volumes of the charm of Mata Hari.  
  
Will ordered a corned beef omelet with a side of buttered toast and some orange juice. Assassin chose a full stack of blueberry pancakes, a side of bacon and scrambled eggs, grape jelly on toast, and a glass of milk. As the server walked away with their orders, Will was almost positive he heard her mumble "I didn't know I was into girls..."  
  
"Assassin, did you...?"  
  
The woman smirked, casting half-lidded eyes over her glass of water at the Magus. "I didn't do anything, Master. I'm just that good."  
  
Will just sighed goodnaturedly and chuckled. It wasn't long before the server handed them their drinks, casting a blushing glance at Assassin before quickly departing, even stumbling on the way back. Will sipped his orange juice through a straw which Assassin cast a curious glance at.  
  
"No coffee?"  
  
"Hm?" He glanced down at his OJ. "Oh! Nah. It's getting close to four AM. I wanna take a nap when I get home. Besides, I've got ADHD. Second caffeine hits me, my heart beats like a hummingbird."  
  
She tilted her head to the side a bit. "I noticed you didn't order any bacon or sausage..."  
  
He smiled. "The Goldman family is a Jewish Magus family. No pork or shellfish for me. We're not as observant as most Jewish families, but it's still gotta be kosher in that household. What about you? That's almost twice as much food as I ordered."  
  
She stuck her tongue out at him teasingly. "Why do you think I ordered milk? It all goes straight to my boobs!"  
  
She giggled as Will choked on his orange juice.  
  


**-o-**

  
It was as they were eating their food that they talked a bit more. After swallowing a forkful of his omelet, he posed a question that had been burning in his mind. "So, what wish do you have for the Holy Grail?"  
  
She shrugged. "Oh, uh, I don't know... Eternal youth, I guess? What about you?"  
  
He sighed. "I don't even know..."  
  
She crossed her arms under her bust, giving it some lift. "But the Grail chose you to be a Master in this war... Surely you have a wish?"  
  
He rubbed at his temple. "Yeah, but... It's nothing that the war itself can't already give me."  
  
She cocked an elegant brow at him. "What do you mean, Master?"  
  
"I... The Goldman family is matriarchal. Mom was disappointed when she saw she had a son, the first in generations. She was even getting ready to have a second child and wed me off to another Magus family, but then she saw I had early talent in our signature Magecraft. She praised me as a prodigy and treated me like her son for the first time in my life, and it felt good. I worked hard at my studies, but I didn't keep at it. My progress waned, my growth rate slowed, and while at first mom decided not to have another kid and even gave me her Magic Crest, she's called me a failure and regretted it since. I want to use this Holy Grail War to better myself and to prove myself to my family by showing I can survive and even overcome its trials," he explained, staring seriously at his plate.  
  
Assassin bit at the scrambled eggs on her fork, chewing and swallowing before she continued. "But wouldn't winning just prove yourself to your family even more than just participating?"  
  
He chuckled. "Yeah, of course it would... But what use is proving myself to my family if I compromise my morals to do it?"  
  
"Hmmm?"  
  
Will looked down at his palm, sighing. "If coming out on top means I have to knock others down... If winning this means I have to leave other lives in shambles... Then I'll have lost more than I've gained. I'm a Golemancer, which means I create life. I'm a Healer, which means I help the wounded. I hate hurting people, physically or mentally... I don't think that the entire world is a good place, but I want to be the change I want to see in it. I want to prove myself to my family... But if I lose sight of who I am in the process, it'll just be a hollow, empty victory..."  
  
She felt a hammering in her chest. She wanted, so very much, to think this was just a spiel to appeal to her good nature... But the passion with which he said it, the pain in his eyes as he admitted his own lack of confidence in his morals yet simultaneously having the determination not to give them up...  
  
"You're an idealist..."  
  
He looked up, bespectacled eyes meeting her sunny ones. She looked away, scratching at her cheek. "I mean... That's pretty naive of you, Master. But hey, if it's what you want... I'll get you as far as I can. We're in this together."  
  
He reached over and gently placed his hand on hers, causing a blush to spread across her face. "Thanks, Mata Hari... That means a lot to me..."  
  
After a moment's beat of awkward silence, she hastily tore his hoodie the remainder of the way off, fanning herself. "Hot in here, so hot!" She hoped she didn't have to strip every time he got her flustered just to maintain her mysterious and confident air... Not that she exactly minded stripping for him, of course.  
  


**-o-**

  
After paying the check, and getting his hoodie back on her, Will and Mata Hari left the B-Line diner.  
  
"Where to next, Maaaster~?" she asked, grinning up at him with her hands locked behind her back.  
  
The young Magus pulled out his phone, checking an app on it. "Think I'll call a cab, have it take us to my family's estate."  
  
She nodded. "I don't need to sleep unless it's to conserve Magical Energy, but you have so much of it and I need so little of it, I don't really need to. Shall I go out and gather intel?"  
  
He shook his head. "Nah. You may not need to sleep, but I don't want you to do anything that might make you feel less than human. Please, you can use one of our guest rooms. I'll even have the maids and butlers prepare it for you."  
  
She again felt a blush hit her cheeks and hastily unzipped the hoodie. She was about to fan herself and again complain about the Florida heat, but that's when, almost on reflex, she sprung into action.  
  
"Will, look out!" She dove and knocked him out of the way just in time.


	2. An Uneasy Alliance [Act 1]

"Do you really think you can do this, child?"  
  
"Let silver and steel be the essence. Let stone and the archduke of contracts be the foundation."  
  
"I shall take that as a yes."  
  
"Let my great Master Django be the ancestor. Let rise a wall against the wind that shall fall. Let the four cardinal gates close. Let the three-forked road from the crown reaching unto the Kingdom rotate. I hereby declare. Your body shall serve under me."  
  
She stood over the carefully drawn summoning circle of her Workshop. The brick, windowless basement was only lit by a scant few candles and oil lanterns. She always was one for dramatic lighting.  
  
"My fate shall be your sword. Submit to the beckoning of the Holy Grail. If you will submit to this will and this reason… Then answer!"  
  
The walls were lined with shelves of books. An alchemy lab sat in the corner upon an elbow counter, a dry ingredient cabinet on one side of it, a material cooler on the other, while a computer sat on a desk against one wall, a wire running from it up into the ceiling. Hey, even if Magecraft knowledge wasn't really kept online to keep up the Mystery, it didn't mean she didn't occasionally want to Google things. Near the wooden staircase leading up was a minifridge, microwave, and bags full of snacks. What? Sometimes she really didn't want to head upstairs when she was in the middle of her Magecraft. Oh, and there was a first aid kit on the wall, just in case. More her uncle's idea than anything.  
  
"An oath shall be sworn here! I shall attain all virtues of all of Heaven. I shall have dominion over all evils of all of Hell!"  
  
She didn't actually have a catalyst... But she had a plan.  
  
"Yet you shall serve with your eyes clouded by chaos. For you would be one caged in madness. I shall wield your chains."  
  
She planned to summon the Berserker. She could handle it. Plus, she relished a challenge.  
  
"From the Seventh Heaven, attended to by three great words of power. Come forth from the ring of restraints. Protector of the Holy Balance!"  
  
The Magical Energy flowed and the magic circle glowed in response to her incantations and material offering. A breeze picked up, creaking the walls and ceiling of the basement.  
  
"Well, I think you did that correctly. Now then, child, let us see who—or what—you shall summon. Hm hm hm..." the deep, smooth baritone spoke to her from the shadows of the room.  
  
The light burst, nearly blinding her, sending the building's foundation shaking. Smoke and dust filled the room and she coughed, waving her hand to clear it from her face. Someone or something stood before her, but the airborne particles clung to her glasses. A quick brushing with her camisole and her vision came into focus.  
  
He was massive. He was a Berserker, so size was to be expected, but she certainly didn't expect him to be nearly ten feet tall and rippling with muscles _this_ well-built. Even with the high ceiling of her basement Workshop, he barely fit inside, even as he sat in front of her. With her own miniscule height, she probably would barely reach his hips.  
  
He was shirtless, his rippling pectorals lightly tanned. Iron armor, much like a corset, covered his bulky and scarred body. Iron rings looped around his arms, and a red piece of cloth, split into two sections, covered his waist to his feet. Manacles gripped his ankles, each with a heavy, iron ball attached via a length of chain. However, this didn’t seem to faze the Servant whatsoever. A bull-shaped mask hid his face, but still revealed a mane of wild white hair that reached his waist. Two thick red horns emerged from the helmet, yet they didn’t seem to be part of the helmet itself. What skin she could see seemed to be covered in old scars, suggesting many past battles. As the dust settled, he let out a massive bellow, sounding almost like a bovine grunt.  
  


  
She gazed up at him, in awe. She did it... She summoned her Servant! When the Command Seals appeared on her body, she wasn't sure what to make of it, but after some quick research, she was sure of it. She was now officially a Master in a Holy Grail War, and this was her Servant!  
  
She rushed forward to approach him excitedly, but he thrust his arm out and scooted back as if on reflex. "Stay. Away!"  
  
The sudden reaction caused her to jerk to a stop. Was he afraid of her? She looked carefully at him, studying his body language. No... not afraid of her. Afraid of himself...  
  
She carefully walked up to her Berserker, reaching up and gently placing her hand on his arm. He flinched at her touch, poor thing... She padded in her bare feet around the large man, reaching up to run her hand through his mane of fluffy white hair. So soft... Thick, too. She could use it as a pillow and she felt the strongest urge to brush it and braid flowers into it.  
  
"It's okay..." She looked up at his metal mask, trying to gauge his reaction... He'd been hurt before... So very much. She could tell. She didn't know how much or how bad, but she just knew... It was probably more pain that she had ever endured in her entire life put together, multiple times over. "I'm here for you. It's going to be alright. I'm not afraid of you... so you shouldn't be either... Okay?"  
  
She tried to keep her voice soft and soothing, which was... really not hard. She was naturally soft-spoken. The large, fluffy Berserker shifted away from her, but glanced at her from over his shoulder.  
  
"What's your name? Can you tell me your name? I'm Jersey. Jersey Bullock."  
  
"And I am-" a smooth baritone began.  
  
With a bellow, the massive Berserker let out a roar, swatting at the shadows and knocking over a stack of books from her bookshelf.  
  
"No, no! Berserker, please stop!" Reflexively, she jumped forward, latching onto his huge, muscular arm in a hug. This halted the masked Berserker in his place, and he looked down at his little Master, more in bewilderment than anything.  
  
"That's just Horrors! He's my Familiar!" Jersey explained, gazing up at her Servant's masked face.  
  
"Indeed. Quite rude of you to just swat at a proud Familiar like myself."  
  
Horrors hopped into view. He was... a cat. A simple black Bombay cat. Four legs, fur, whiskers. His eyes were entirely yellow, his sharp fangs white. The only thing odd about him was that his pupils were a crimson red, but you would have to look closely to notice. He wore no collar, though there was curiously a ring of bandages wrapped around the end of his tail, just below the tip.  
  


  
"What a brute, lashing out against a feline of my statue. Really, child, must you have summoned the Berserker? I would've much preferred someone more intellectual, like a Caster," the housecat huffed.  
  
Jersey crossed her arms under her breasts, glaring at her Familiar through her glasses. "I don't have a catalyst, and I wanted an edge! Besides, I have plenty of Magical Energy and can easily get more. I can handle a Berserker."  
  
Said Berserker watched the exchange between the two with bewilderment. Finally settling on Horrors, he leaned forward. "Kitty?"  
  
"No! Bad! Unhand me, brute!"  
  
Jersey watched with amusement as Berserker easily scooped Horrors up in his hand and began stroking his back with a single finger.  
  
"No, stop! Ohhhh, prrrrr... Child! You have the power to end this! Make him ahhhhh... prrrrrr... Stop!"  
  
Jersey just smirked, watching her Servant easily manhandle her Familiar. She looked up at the mask-wearing man, smiling at him. "So, um... Yeah, heh... I'm Jersey Bullock. That's Horrors Freeman, my Familiar. What's your name?"  
  
He looked down from Horrors to Jersey, though still stroked the cat's back with his finger. "...A-Asterios."  
  
Hmmm... Asterios? She'd never heard of any historical or mythological figure by that name. "Are you hungry, Asterios?"  
  
He just sat in silence.  
  
"Sit right there, I'll go make you something." Turning, she rushed up the stairs, ignoring the bouncing to her unsupported chest. Why did she have to perform the summoning in just her panties, camisole, and glasses?  
  


* * *

  
Jersey's Workshop was actually the cellar of her uncle's barbecue restaurant. The store was closed up and her uncle had gone home, but he let her sleep in a little room in the back so she could practice her Magecraft here. It was actually pretty cool. Once in a blue moon the police showed up to question if there was a vagrant living here, but her uncle always assured the officers that no, it was his niece, and she was sleeping there with his permission. She had everything she'd really need so long as she kept the place clean for opening for the lunch rush. Kitchen, bathroom, bed, TV, Workshop, computer. The fact she could make some cash by working as a server was just a bonus.  
  
She went to the restaurant's kitchen and flicked on the lights, donning an apron and getting ready to make some food for her Servant. She didn't know what he liked, but... Well, he was a big boy. He probably ate a lot, right? She'd just make several different dishes. She had all her uncle's recipes memorized, after all.  
  
For appetizer, she made a sampler platter of rib tips, chicken tenders, catfish fingers, onion strings, boneless wings with a sample of each sauce. She decided to make a chicken tossed salad and bacon baked potato soup to go with it.  
  
She figured a burger would be a good main course. Who didn't love burgers? Well, besides vegetarians... Shoot, he wasn't a vegetarian, was he? Regardless, she decided to make a fresh burger piled high with pork, bacon, gouda cheese, lettuce, tomato, and BBQ sauce.  
  
Sides... Some sweet corn and mac and cheese should do it. And for dessert... Ah, everyone loved ice cream! She'd make him a hot fudge sundae with whipped cream, crushed peanuts, and a cherry.  
  
It was as she was partway through cooking that she turned around to tend to another grill and jumped at the sight of him standing in the kitchen next to her.  
  
"Wah! A-Asterios! You surprised me. How did you get... uh... out of the... basement..." Wait... How had she planned to get him out of the cellar in the first place?  
  
Horrors rushed into the kitchen from the doorway. "Whew... Child, he turned into his spiritual form. All Servants may do this, and it allows them to move through walls, but they cannot affect the world around them in this state. They can still communicate with their Master through a mental connection however, and they conserve Magical Energy in that state. Considering how much upkeep Berserkers require, I suggest he remain in this state frequently," he explained.  
  
"Uh... Okay. Well, I guess I can give him a proper table. C'mon, Asterios, I'll push some together for you."  
  
He just stood impassively, then dissipated before her very eyes. Wow... So cool!  
  
After finding a stopping point in her cooking, she ran out to the restaurant floor and pushed some tables together near one of the party-size booths. "Sit here, please, Asterios. I'll bring your appetizer, soup, and salad out first," Jersey explained, calling out into the empty restaurant.  
  
As she turned to leave, though, she felt a presence and whirled around to see him sitting there. Luckily the restaurant floor had quite high ceilings complete with glass to view the Florida sky, so... he wasn't bumping anything. Good.  
  
She returned to the kitchen and brought out his starter dishes. The Berserker just stared at them. "It's okay, Asterios. I made these for you. Go ahead and eat," she assured him, gesturing at the dishes on the table.  
  
With a haziness affect, his mask dissipated, and she finally got a look at his face.  
  
His fluffy white bangs almost came down in front of his eyes, which were red with black sclera. His horns were in fact connected to and growing out of his head like she thought and he had a hoop earring in his right ear. She couldn't help noting he was tanned and his expression was one of intense seriousness. After a moment of staring at the meal in silence, he reached his hand into the salad and pulled out a scoop.  
  
"No, no, no, you oaf! Use a fork or spoon!" Horrors hopped up onto the table, nudging the fork towards Asterios with his nose. "I'm sure the Grail gave you knowledge of eating utensils, so use it." To Jersey's surprise, he actually seemed to listen and grabbed the fork, skewering some of the leaves in the salad. Okay, good. Now she best finish cooking.  
  
It was sometime later that she presented the burger and sides to him. He looked to have finished his appetizer, soup, and salad. Did he even lick the bowls and plate clean? She placed the food in front of him, watching as he, this time with less hesitation than the starters, lifted the burger up and bit into it. He paused mid-bite, then began to chew with more enthusiasm. Hee hee... She'd learned from the best. Her cooking was gourmet quality, but without the weirdo foreign ingredients. Soul food, deep fried, barbecue, Italian. Before she got into Magecraft, she actually dreamed of being a professional chef. She still used some Magecraft in her cooking now, in fact.  
  
She threw off her apron and stepped up into the booth, scooting in next to her Servant. It was nice, seeing someone enjoying her food so genuinely... It filled her with a sense of wholesome pride in her much-practiced skills. She'd have to look up Asterios on Google later... Maybe she could figure out where he was from? She was curious what kind of food his culture had that he was eating so enthusiastically now. In fact, she dared say it looked like he'd never eaten anything so good before in his life.  
  
Jersey reached up and gently ran her fingers through Asterios's fluffy white mane. The Berserker stiffened a bit at her touch, but once he was sure she wasn't trying to hurt him, he went back to eating his burger. She could tell her fluffy boi would be a lot to handle, but... She could take it. Noticing him getting used to her stroking, she scooted up to lean against him. He again stiffened, but after a moment of making sure she didn't intend to cause harm, returned to his burger. "Hey, Asterios? Where are you from?"  
  
He thought for a moment, then swallowed his food and said "G-Greece..."  
  
Well that... narrowed it down. "Um... _When_ are you from?"  
  
He paused for a moment, then shrugged. "Long time ago..."  
  
How specific. "Well, what can you do as a Berserker?"  
  
He again thought a moment. "Strong. Hit things with... labrys."  
  
...What else could she ask for from a Berserker? She looked up at Asterios, enthusiastically finishing the last bit of his burger then moving to eat his corn and mac and cheese. Jersey giggled a bit. "Enjoying my cooking?"  
  
He paused, then nodded. "Hot. Tasty. Better than... _them_. Warm in... belly."  
  
Awww. She leaned in and hugged him, and the big fluffy boi again stiffened before returning to eating his food.  
  
["Congratulations on summoning the Berserker! You are the second Master to enter the Holy Grail War!"]  
  
Jersey jumped while Asterios tensed and summoned a labrys to his hand. "Oh my gosh, are you this Grail War's overseer?!"  
  
["Indeed I am, my dear. I am capable of speaking to you through the same mental connection a Master and Servant have. I am the one who will act as impartial supervisor to this Grail War. I can award extra Command Seals to Masters who have performed some kind of overseer-mandated emergency action and Masters who have lost their Servant may find shelter at a neutral ground where I reside, where no Servants can enter and Masters are not allowed to battle."]  
  
Jersey let out a loud squee that caused Horrors to groan and roll his eyes. "I'm so excited to be part of this! I feel like I'm in the Triwizard Tournament or something!"  
  
The Overseer sighed over the connection. ["Well, this is certainly a different reaction than Caster's Master... Now, did you have any questions in regards to this Grail War, my dear?"]  
  
"Nope! Just excited to be in it!"  
  
["Mmh. Suit yourself, I suppose. Enjoy your evening, my dear. Assassin has just been summoned, so I’ve a greeting to effect.”]  
  
She felt the connection fade and upon Asterios checking his Master, he dematerialized his labrys and went back to eating. She looked up at the massive Berserker, smiling as he finished his food. "Wait right there and I'll get your dessert!" Jersey announced, standing and running for the kitchen to prepare his hot fudge sundae.  
  
She returned with it and placed it before him along with a spoon. Asterios looked at it with hesitation, then tentatively placed a spoonful in his mouth. After a brief moment he then began eating it with wild abandon.  
  
"Careful, you'll get brain freeze!"  
  
If such a thing happened, Asterios showed no reaction to it. He ate the sundae down to the dish and then licked that clean, remarking only "Sweeeet."  
  
Jersey giggled. Hmmm... What should she do with her Berserker next? She'd love to cuddle, maybe show him cat videos on Youtube or play some video games with him, but while it was dark like this? Might be a good time to give him a tour of some of Orlando's hotspots.  
  
"Hey, Asterios. Wait here, I'm going to go get dressed," she directed.  
  
He just watched impassively as Jersey ran to the back room, dissipating into his spirit form. Horrors looked up at where he once was. "And so Southeastern American civilization crumbles..." he sighed.  
  


* * *

  
Jersey ran to the back room that housed her gaming rig, bed, and dresser. Shedding her camisole, she started to get dressed. Florida was warm even at night during the summer, so she'd have to dress light to accommodate. She wasn't exactly a girl lacking in insulation...  
  
She was black, with chocolate skin, raven locks, and amber eyes. Her hair was long, floofy, and down to her waist with bangs in her face and draping over her shoulders. Her face was best described as innocent with her soft features, while her bespectacled eyes were downright doe-like. While short at just four foot nine, she was extremely curvy. Well, curvy was putting it politely. Most of society would probably consider her overweight. Thick thighs, wide hips, a large rear, and even a bit of a paunch marked her body index as above the recommended. Still, some of that weight went to some arguably good places. She had quite the prodigious bust at a whopping 38H. Her curves and bust were natural too, as evident by the stretch marks on the sides of her abdomen. She had always had mixed feelings about her weight. Sure, she liked her curves, but she didn't feel nearly as favorable about how others thought of them. In a way, her body image was like a balloon. Easy to inflate, but easy to pop.  
  


  
She slipped on a spaghetti strap green tank top and a black pleated miniskirt over a rather plain matching set of white bra and panties. She slipped her feet into some black flip-flops and grabbed her green backpack, stuffed with her laptop, Nintendo Switch, wallet, phone, and some snacks. Her most important possession, her inhaler, was kept somewhere far easier to access and much more secure. After all, she needed it to live. She slipped a black choker around her neck and a black strap analogue wristwatch on her right wrist, more for accessorizing than anything. Adjusting her round glasses a bit, she nodded and headed out onto the restaurant floor, then out onto the humid Orland streets. She glanced around. "Asterios?"  
  
He materialized next to her. "Oh, there you are! Ready to go? I figured I'd show you around town a bit. At least the highlights and important parts. Orlando's a pretty big city," she explained, giggling. She glanced to Horrors sitting in the doorway to the restaurant, tail swaying. "You can come too if you want, Horrors!"  
  
The Servant and Familiar both looked at each other, then their Master. Horrors sighed. "Oh, very well. After all, Master Django _did_ tell me to keep his precious granddaughter safe." The housecat stood and shook his fur out, trotting out to walk alongside Jersey and Berserker.  
  
The Magus giggled. "Horrors, has anyone ever told you you're pretty tsundere?"  
  
The black cat rolled his eyes. "I know what that word means, child. But are you not worried about walking around in public with Berserker? Even if it is the dead of night, he is roughly ten feet tall and has horns."  
  
Jersey smirked at her Familiar. "Horrors... It's Florida."  
  
He tilted his head and considered this point. “And Orlando, at that. Very well, proceed."  
  
Asterios looked between the two as they spoke. Noting how small Jersey was and how fast they could probably move if it was just him walking... Hmmm, and she had been quite nice so far. She'd even fed him the best meal he had after a lifetime of being in the Labyrinth, forced to survive on the sacrifices and lost for sustenance. Nodding to himself, the fluffy Berserker reached down and lifted Jersey up in his arms.  
  
"Whoa, what-"  
  
Despite her protests, he placed her on his shoulder. The Magus steadied herself, grabbing her Servant's horn, then marveling at the view and the security she felt. "Wow, so this is what it's like to be tall... Well, onward, Asterios! We ride together into the night as one!"  
  
Horrors snickered at that, then trotted alongside Asterios as they walked. When the massive Berserker reached down to pick him up as well, he hissed and batted at the big fluffy boy's hand. "No, no! None of that! I am a proud domestic feline, and I do not need to be carried to get around! I have my own four feet!"  
  
"It's fine, Asterios. Horrors is in denial that he's my pet and familiar. Let him dream for a bit longer," Jersey teased, smirking down at Horrors.  
  
The cat huffed. "You feed me, pet me, and clean my litter box. Who is the master to whom?" he grumbled.  
  
As they walked down the street, Jersey directed Asterios on where to go and pointed out any highlights as they walked by them. Orlando was a major American city, so she couldn't cover even a fraction of the town this night, but she figured she'd do what she could.  
  
As they were nearing the B-Line Diner, there was a couple walking along, likely having just left it after a meal. Jersey figured they wouldn't pay Asterios much mind, but... just in case. "Hey, Asterios? How about we cut across the street to avoid them?... Asterios?"  
  
She looked down at her Servant, noticing the Berserker staring intently at the male of the two. "He is... Master."  
  
Jersey tilted her head to the side in confusion. "No, I'm your Master."  
  
"The brute means that the lad there is a Master, not his Master," Horrors explained, even raising his paw to gesture at the two down the street.  
  
"But... Asterios, how can you tell? Servants can only get a feeling for other Servants, and only when near them," the girl questioned.  
  
"Getting... a feeling."  
  
Horrors rubbed at his chin with his paw. "If I had to guess? Berserker here doesn't seem to be fully human, considering those horns. It might be he is just so in-touch with Mystery that he can get a vague gut feeling. But... I wouldn't put too much stock in-"  
  
"Berserker, charge!"  
  
"Uooo!!"  
  
Horrors sighed, raising his paw up to facepalm.  
  
As Asterios charged in behind the Master and his companion, he materialized one of his labrys, chopping at the Master just as Jersey leaped from his shoulder. On the way down, she activated the Magic Circuits in her left arm. "Reinforcement!"  
  
After the labrys swing was cleared, her fist came down, causing cracks to blossom in the pavement. Had that bystander not shoved the Master out of the way... Well, he probably wouldn't be alive right now.  
  


* * *

  
The Master and Servant landed just a foot or two away. "Assassin, what-"  
  
Mata Hari had no time and deftly shoved Will away, rolling the opposite direction to avoid both a downward chop and a downward punch from what she was quickly realizing was a Master-Servant pair.  
  
"Don't hurt that girl, just go for the Master!" Jersey exclaimed, and Assassin felt the massive Servant shove her aside, causing her to slam into a nearby wall. Luckily even with the bare minimum physical stats, she was still a touch tougher than a human. Will, meanwhile...  
  
The Magus scrambled to his feet and stumbled away to avoid another labrys swing from the bellowing Servant and another pavement-cracking punch from his Master, who seemed to be absolutely overflowing with excitement even as her shirt was torn a bit.  
  
["Master, are you okay?"] Assassin asked through their mental connection.  
  
Will jumped and tried to weave his way around the Servant and Master's attacks. ["Who are they? Why are they attacking me? Is that a Servant?!"]  
  
["Yes. I sensed a Servant in the area, but I didn't think they would attack us... I'm looking at him and... He's absurdly powerful. I think he might be the Berserker. My abilities won't work on him with his Mad Enhancement. What should I do, Master?"]  
  
["Just run for cover! I'll lead them away, maybe think of something!"]  
  
["But... Master! A Magus can't hope to stand against a Servant, let alone one fighting alongside his Master! And unlike you, I think this Master's Magecraft can actually be used to fight!"]  
  
["Mata Hari! Right now, they think you're just a bystander! Use that to your advantage!"]  
  
Assassin's teeth clenched. She knew what he meant by that... He wanted her to run and hide. But... He didn't say that specifically. He said to use that to her advantage. And she sure as hell wasn't going to leave Will behind to face them alone. But what should she do? What could _Will_ do?  
  


* * *

  
Jersey and Asterios continued to chop and punch at the blonde, bespectacled Master. Asterios tried to be mindful, though. He didn't want to go all-out, lest this Master counter and try and go for his own Master, or worse, he harm his master with the shockwaves of his blows. Besides, this Master might have his Servant somewhere nearby... Jersey, meanwhile, found herself getting increasingly distracted by the girl this Master had been with. She looked harmless enough, maybe a friend of his? But wow, she was sexy... Wait, was she wearing just an open jacket? Hot damn, she was well-endowed. And Jersey thought her own breasts were huge... She didn't know whether to be aroused or jealous.  
  
Horrors just shook his head in disapproval. "Child, I really don't think this is a wise idea," he remarked, causing the bystander to glance over and cock an eyebrow at the talking cat. Huh, she looked like she gave good scritches...  
  
Will tried his best to dodge and weave his way around both the massive horned man's labrys and the punches of the increasingly raggedy-clothed girl, who's clothes were getting increasingly torn as the battle went on. He had to think of something. Hmmm... Well, when it came to Will Goldman, his first go-to was always diplomacy.  
  
He stopped and held his hands up placatingly. "Wait, wait, wait! Can't we talk about this?"  
  
At first it looked like it had worked. The massive axeman actually paused, no doubt noticing that Will had yet to attack. His Master, however, her gaze partly on Assassin, didn't seem to notice his attempt at parlay, her Reinforced fist heading straight for him.  
  
Crying in distress, Assassin dashed forward, getting between the two just in time to take a blow to the gut. Coughing blood from the wall-demolishing force of the blow, she went flying backwards, knocking Will over and and continuing to tumble backwards several feet, causing smears of blood to trail the ground.  
  
Jersey, meanwhile, winced and waved her hand, searing pain going through it. Motherfu-That girl was tougher than she thought! Did she... Yep. A feel of her fingers proved it. Jersey just broke her hand. Ugh, she'd put so much Reinforcement into strengthening her arms, she forgot to toughen them... That's what she got for going all shounen protagonist on their asses.  
  
Will scrambled to his feet, running after his fallen Servant to kneel by her side. "No! Hang on!" He cried. The genuine distress in his voice actually caused any and all adrenaline coursing through Jersey to go stone cold. Did she just... _kill_ an innocent bystander?  
  
Horrors trotted in front of her. "Child, you really need to find a way to curb your impulses. Look what you've done now. Broken hand, bloodied innocent, and noise that might just draw the diners nearby. Plus, look. You've shredded your clothing."  
  
"What?" Jersey looked down at herself, seeing that, in her rush into combat and haphazard blows, she'd reduced her clothes to little more than scraps barely hanging off her body and covering absolutely nothing. "Eep!" She hastily covered herself with her arms. At least, as much as she could with a broken hand.  
  
"Shall we run then, child?" her Familiar asked.  
  
Jersey looked to the young man tending to his friend. "I... No. I caused this. I need to... make amends."  
  
The black cat sighed. "Admirable of you, child... And very un-Magus of you as well."  
  
The girl rolled her eyes and padded forward on her now-bare feet, stopping only when she saw a glow of light blue light as the young man started applying what was clearly Magecraft to his friend's wounds. Getting her wits back about her, she walked up, still covering herself as she knelt next to the two. "Uh, hi. Sorry... about that?"  
  
The young man sighed. "It's okay... Uh, I'm Will. Will Goldman," he said awkwardly, not looking up from his work. Jersey could see the sexy girl's wounds slowly closing before her eyes. It's okay? She caused what was no doubt massive internal damage to his friend and it was just okay?  
  
"Uh, Jersey. Jersey Bullock. I'm sorry, I... Berserker thought you might've been a Master, so I got so excited about my first battle of the Grail War, that I... jumped the gun," she explained, biting her lower lip.  
  
Will chuckled. "Well... You're not wrong. I _am_ a Master. And this..."  
  
"Will, don't..." the bystander groaned.  
  
"No, it's okay. I... If I'm not honest with others, how can I be honest with myself? This is... Assassin."  
  
Jersey gasped, bringing her hand to her mouth and wincing at the pain. That was the broken one... Hearing her gasp, Will turned to look at her and saw her broken hand. "Oh. Hang on, I'll heal you in a minute." He looked up to make eye contact with her, and that's when the Reinforcement specialist felt her heart skip a beat.  
  
His glasses seemed to have fallen off when Assassin's trajectory knocked him over. As she gazed at his face without them, his green eyes clearly visible, she couldn't help but notice just how... sexy he was. Not handsome, not cute... Charming, hot, and _dead sexy_. She could swear, he was the sexiest man she'd ever seen, with his spiky blonde hair and oh my gosh those... "Most gorgeous eyes I have ever seen..." ...Did she say that out loud?  
  
"What?" Will stopped his healing and reached up to feel his face. "Shoot! My Mys-My glasses!"  
  
"Right here, lad."  
  
Will looked down to the source of the voice, seeing the black cat walk up with his glasses gripped in his mouth. He gently took them from the feline and placed them back on. Jersey felt her arousal die down once they were back on. "Uh, thanks... Familiar, I take it?"  
  
He nodded. "Indeed. You're quite knowledgeable, and a skilled healer by the looks of it. The damage my child dealt to your Servant was actually rather extensive. In fact, had Berserker not been holding back to avoid harming his Master by his side, I'm sure you would not have lasted as long as you did."  
  
Will reached up and rubbed the back of his head just as Assassin was stirring and moving to sit up. "Heh... Thanks, Berserker. And, uh, yeah... I'm a Healing Magecraft and Golemancy specialist." He turned to Jersey next, but started at the sight of her nudity. He glanced away with a blush on his face as he reached out to hold her hand in his, applying more of that blue grow. She could feel her bones mending and resetting, wincing a bit at the awkward feeling. Wow, so this was Healing Magecraft...  
  
Berserker stepped up, moving to sit down with the four of them. "M'... sorry."  
  
Jersey smiled up at him. "It's okay, Berserker. I said to charge, you charged. I'm sorry... I should've considered things..."  
  
"Indeed. I've seen more situational awareness from people starting political debates in the comment sections of Internet porn videos."  
  
All four bipeds turned to stare at the black cat.  
  
"What? My paws can hunt and peck," he stated matter-of-factly.  
  
"Regardless, we need to get out of here before the people in the B-Line Diner wonder what the noise is about..." Will said.  
  
"Speaking of, I have a proposal," Horrors began, again drawing the attention of the four bipeds. "Will, your Healing Magecraft and Golemancy aren't really suited for combat, yes? And Assassins are not exactly the biggest powerhouses among the Servant Classes. Jersey, Berserker is powerful, and you are powerful, but well... With your tendency to rush in with little self-preservation, and the brute's lack of stealth, I think you're a little _too_ specialized as a team."  
  
Assassin tilted her head to the side. "Are you proposing-"  
  
"An alliance, yes," the Familiar confirmed, nodding. "With Assassin and Will's Golems, he can gather information and strategize, while keeping my Leeroy Jenkins of a child healed. Jersey and Berserker, meanwhile, will be the ones doing active combat when needed. By the end of the Grail War, when it is just you two, well... Perhaps we can see what we can do then."  
  
"I don't kno-"  
  
"Agreed. I accept," Will said.  
  
Assassin's jaw dropped. She reached over and put her hand on her Master's forearm. "Will... are you certain of this?"  
  
He looked to Assassin, nodding. "Yes. We're great with logistics and support, but we won't stand up in a fight. Jersey and Berserker are powerhouses, but don't have much going for them besides that. If we team up, we can cover each other's weaknesses. Like I said, I want the Grail, but I don't actually need it, not when I can accomplish my goal by just fighting for it. And as a show of good faith..." He turned to Jersey, but blushed and looked away when he again saw she was nude. "I'm from the Goldman family. We have wealth, prestige, reputation, connections, and resources that should be invaluable to you two. Our manor has a Bounded Field that's nearly impregnable and is full of loyal Golem servants. I can take you there right now where we can discuss the details over breakfast."  
  
["Will, the fuck?"]  
  
["Mata Hari, no mental connection around an ally."]  
  
"Will, the fuck?"  
  
The Magus turned to his Servant. "What?"  
  
"This girl just tried to kill you. Why are you inviting her to your home?" Assassin hissed.  
  
"She explained why she attacked me out of nowhere. I believe her, I understand. What better way to show that I forgive her than to invite her to my home?"  
  
"By home, you mean... Your Magus family's fortress of solitude?" Horrors deadpanned, his tail flicking.  
  
"Don't worry, my parents aren't home. They're out of town for a week. Oh, and our Golem servants will listen to me."  
  
"Lad, do you know anything about the Moonlit World?" Horrors hissed.  
  
"I do. And I hate it. Why, does Jersey?" Will countered.  
  
Horrors grit his fangs. "No, her master didn't get that far..."  
  
"There. I'm extending an olive branch, not as a Magus, but as a person," he said.  
  
Mata Hari stared at her Master, worry in her eyes. Will... are you sure this is purely about compassion and objecting to the ideals of the Moonlit World... or are you just so desperate to have a friend that you'll put yourself at risk to win one over?  
  
"But first..." He turned to his Servant. "Assassin, would you please rematerialize your top and hand Jersey the jacket I lent you?"  
  
Jersey watched the exchange, a bit bewildered. She watched as Assassin reached up and gripped the jacket, as if hugging it. "But Maaaster~. It smells like you, and it's like an all day hug."  
  
Will shuddered, his face going bright red. "Assassin, please?"  
  
"Oh, fine." She sighed, rematerializing her top and slipping the jacket off, tossing it to the short Magus.  
  
Jersey caught it in her arms, the motion causing her to hug it to her chest. She had to resist the urge to sniff it after Assassin's comment about it smelling like her Master.  
  
"C'mon, we need to get Jersey some pants. Are you coming, Jersey?" Will asked, gesturing for them to follow.  
  
The Reinforcement Magus turned to Asterios, slipping the jacket on. Oh, it really _was_ like a hug. "Berserker, do you think we should go to Will's house?" she asked the Servant.  
  
Asterios glanced between the two Masters, then to Assassin, then to Horrors. Finally, he nodded. "Protect."  
  
She smiled up at her massive Servant. He had a point... There'd be very little any of Will's Golems could do against Asterios. And even if they tried to go for her instead, she had her Reinforcement and Horrors. "Okay, let's go."  
  
Said feline Familiar growled. "Child, I really must advise you against this! You know absolutely nothing of the society within the Moonlit World! Any Magus worth his Crest would sooner slit your throat in your sleep than let you enter his home with a dangerous Servant!"  
  
Assassin giggled, kneeling down to scritch Horrors behind his ears. "Awww, there there, kitty. It's okay. Will's nice. C'mon, how about you ride in my arms? I can give you chin scritches on the way there."  
  
Horrors purred despite himself in response, his ears folding. He was right, she _did_ give good scritches. "...this is dumb and I hate you."  
  
Will chuckled. "Heh... C'mon. It's a bit of a walk, but I can call the house and have our Golem chauffeur pick us up," he explained, digging into his shoulder bag for his phone.  
  
Assassin picked Horrors up, holding the black cat against her barely-clothed bust, and the four turned to walk into a nearby alleyway to wait for the car. As they did, the feline Familiar sighed. These two wouldn't survive a day in the Moonlit World... He'd have to do what he could to guide the-Oh god, it was like an orgy on his chin.


	3. Canon Omake: A Housewife [Act 1]

Humming a little song to herself, she stirred the skillet over the stove, set to medium heat. A quick taste with the spoon and... mmmm... Yeah, maybe a bit of salt?

It was hard to believe she was in this kind of situation. She had to admit, these clothes were a bit odd to get used to compared to her original robes, but... Yeah, she definitely could get used to it. The apron was cute... Hm, how would Master react if he came home to find her wearing just the apron? Fufufu...

She was the first Servant summoned for the Orlando Holy Grail War. Or "Collision Holy Grail War" as that Overseer called it. For now, though, she'd settled into a semblance of a normal, modern daily life.

Her Master had been kind. She was put off by his height and muscles at first, but... Then she realized they belied a noble heart. He'd heard her story, her past, her legend... But to him, it didn't matter the people she'd killed. She was her, and she was a person. He'd even set her up with her own room and Workshop behind his clinic, and given her privacy for them. She'd already used her Item Creation to make him a custom Mystic Code that functioned perfectly with his Magecraft. She planned to present it to him tomorrow... Would he like it?

The door opened and a deep, pleasing bass sounded out. "Caster! I'm home!"

"I'm in here, Master!" she called.

The pounding of his heavy footsteps could be heard all the way from the stove. He was so large, so heavy... Despite being a gentle giant, he really couldn't quiet his steps no matter how hard he tried. It was kind of endearing...

"Sorry, the local hospital needed me for an emergency procedure overnight. Hm? Caster, you're cooking breakfast?"

She looked over her shoulder. "Of course. I'm pretending to be your fiance, right? I figure I should act the part even if it's just us, Master."

He smiled and chuckled, his hands in the pockets of his lab coat. "Then please, don't call me Master. If you really want to address me with a title, just call me Doctor."

She blushed a bit. "Very well... Doctor."

The massive man stepped forward, his hands still in his lab coat pockets as he peered at the skillet. "What are you making there?"

"An omelet! I saw it on a cooking show today, I thought I'd try making it. Here, have a taste." She held the spoon out for him, and shrugging after a moment, he ate some of the fluffy yellow egg off it. He chewed a bit, testing the taste, then swallowed.

"Hmm... Could use a bit less salt, but you've definitely improved your cooking in the past week," he said, that simple, good-natured smile on his face.

She smiled up at him. "Say, Mas... Doctor. Why aren't we making some kind of move? It's been a week and I'm the only Servant summoned. Shouldn't we be setting up a fortified base or gathering information?"

"Nah. To be honest, something like that feels like cheating. I don't want some kind of advantage simply because I'm an early bird. For now, let's just keep conserving my Magical Energy and putting the excess into crystals, just so you can pull off the grander Magecraft when it's needed. And remember, don't harm any innocents. You may not have to follow the hippocratic oath like I do, but you don't have to be the same woman from your past."

She was about to reply when a voice rang in her hand. And if Master's reaction was anything to go by, he was getting the same message.

["Do hope I'm not interrupting. But I felt it was proper that I announce that the Assassin and Berserker have both been summoned last night. We just need the Saber, the Lancer, the Archer, and the Rider, and I can officially announce the beginning of the Collision Holy Grail War here in Orlando, Florida."]

"Thanks, Overseer. Though, why are you calling it the Collision Holy Grail War?" the doctor asked, gazing up.

["Use your eyes and capacity to reason, and it will become clear quickly enough."]

The connection faded and the Master and Servant pair turned to look at each other.

"Should we make our first move now, Doctor?" she asked.

He thought a moment. "...No. I have a better idea. How about I announce my engagement to my family?"

She felt her heart speed up.


	4. Family Matters [Act 1]

As the birds chirped outside and sunlight filtered through the curtains, Will Goldman slowly stirred from his sleep. Hoo, boy... What a night.  
  
He'd summoned his Servant in an unexpected Holy Grail War, five years after the dismantling of the Greater Grail in Fuyuki ten years after the Fifth Holy Grail War. He'd ran into another Master. He'd gotten into a skirmish with her. He'd invited her, her Servant, and her Familiar to his estate. He'd convinced the Golems that she was a girl he met at the cafe he worked at while her Servant remained in Spirit Body form and her Familiar pretended to be her regular pet cat, while he told them Assassin was someone from his photography class. Exhausted, he'd retired to bed while the Golems set Jersey up in the guest room. Wow... He didn't think his life would ever be the same after an experience like this. Thank goodness his mother and father were away for a week on business. They'd be back in a few days, though... He might need to find a better, more private place for Jersey and him to use to corroborate.  
  
"Mmmm..."  
  
...Something soft was pressing up against him. Soft and warm... He pried open his eyes, fighting against the urge to ease into the embrace and go back to sleep, and looked down. He was not alone in bed...  
  
Will had been asleep in bed on his back, in his plant white-and-blue striped pajama pants and shirt. His clothes from the day had been shed on the ground and collected by Maritess in the night, while his glasses sat on the bedside table. It was a king-size bed and his room doubled as his Workshop, with bookshelves lined with tomes on Magecraft, a stand and workbench for his Golemancy, a minifridge and microwave, an attached bathroom, a desk with a desktop computer on it, and the usual dresser and closet. There was also a room off of his bedroom that acted as his makeshift dark room, though the Golems of the estate were led to believe it was his second Workshop. Luckily, only Maritess as his personal maid was allowed to enter, and she wasn't telling anyone.  
  
Lying next to him was, and he shouldn't really be surprised, Assassin. Her chocolate hair was down and she was resting her head on his thinly-clad chest, one hand grasping his pectoral and her warm, soft breasts pressing against the muscles of his abdomen. One of her legs was draped over his pajama-clad groin and a glance under the covers showed she was completely and utterly naked.  
  
Will became a deer in headlights. He wasn't sure whether to scream and flail out of bed or gently wake Assassin up and ask why she was here and where her clothes were. Luckily it was his Servant who moved first.  
  
With a content and admittedly sensual moan, Assassin stirred. She nuzzled her cheek into Will's chest, a cheery smile on her face. Her eyes were still closed.  
  
"Mmmm... Good morning, Maaaster~" she cooed, the hand on his chest moving to idly trace shapes on his pajama'd pec with her index finger. It sent a shudder through him. "My, you're certainly easy to share a bed with. How can one man toss and turn so little? Not to mention you're surprisingly comfortable to snuggle up with despite being surprisingly buff, ufufufu."  
  
Brain not working, what do?  
  
Well, Will did three things.  
  
First, he shifted his legs to try and adjust the morning wood in his boxer-briefs. Though considering his size and the fact that the garment was pretty snug, this did little than frustrate him and rub said nocturnal penile tumescence against his very naked Servant's leg. He tried to think un-sexy thoughts to make it go down, but... Even with his iron willpower, he couldn't really think of much besides the warm embrace and feel of Assassin's softness pressed against him.  
  
Second, he blushed and stammered incoherently, as was par for the course with Will.  
  
Third, he instinctively wrapped his arm around her and pulled her closer. She was soft, warm, and smelled so nice... It was like she was designed to draw you in.  
  
"Mmmm fufufu. That's the reaction I enjoy. You're so easy to tease, like most virgins..." she cooed, voice dripping with sweet honey. She reached down and... Yup. That was some lithe, dexterous fingers rubbing at his bulge through his pajamas  
  
"Hee hee! I should've figured a guy your size would be huge," Assassin said, eyes still closed as she snuggled into the crook of Will's shoulder, moving to nuzzle her cheek into his chest. He'd cuddled a bit with Maritess, but this was... decidedly less platonic, even without the fingers scratching at his length through the thin cloth of his boxer-briefs and pajama pants.  
  
"Uh, A-A-Assassin?" Will squeaked, his voice cracking. "Why are you in my bed?"  
  
"You didn't give me my own room and I have such little upkeep that I don't need to go into Spirit Body to conserve Magical Energy, so I figured I'd sleep with you," she explained, planting a soft little kiss on Will's collarbone.  
  
"A-And where are your clothes?"  
  
"I dissipated them. Sleeping is so much better when done in the all together..."  
  
"Did anything sexual happen last night?"  
  
"I _am_ something sexual, Maaaster~."  
  
...God fucking dammit! He can't argue against that logic with half the blood normally in his upper head down in his lower head!  
  
Her fingers played with the waistband of his pajamas, just lifting it a bit away from the skin of his waist. "Maaaster~, you're so hard this morning... Want your Servant to take care of it for you?"  
  
He very nearly bluescreened. "Take care... of it?"  
  
"Mmm-hmm. Morning wood is quite debilitating... I can use it for Magical Energy."  
  
"B-But don't you have really little upkeep?"  
  
"Need and want are _very_ different things, Maaaster~" she teased, two fingers walking along his chest.  
  
Well... It wasn't like he wasn't prepared to do this. Will was well aware of the high amount of Magical Energy stored in the life-giving and heir-nourishing qualities of semen, so he was very much mentally prepared to have to provide his Servant with his ejaculate when he summoned one.  
  
...He just wasn't prepared for that Servant to be Mata Hari, or come on this strong. Was this a test?  
  
Okay, Will. Okay. You've got enough brains left that you can at least try to think about this. Question is, if Assassin says she doesn't need it but wants it... Why does she want it?  
  
"So then... Why do you want it if you don't need it?"  
  
"..." Assassin sat up and huffed, crossing her arms under her generous bosom. "Okay, Master, okay. I was just teasing you. I honestly didn't expect you to agree to it," she admitted.  
  
Damn... Mata Hari just couldn't figure this guy out. She might've gone a bit overboard with her teasing there, but that was because his hesitancy to do her, _her_ , just baffled her. Was he truly a man who wasn't a greedy perv, or was he just that much of an awkward virgin? She turned and patted Will's chest as he sat up. "Sorry if I went too far with the teasing, Ma... ster..."  
  
Her gray eyes met his green ones. Maybe it was because he wasn't wearing his glasses, but... "You have... quite striking eyes, Will," she said. It was a statement that came from her mouth unbidden and she actually blushed a bit at the lack of self-control she had said it with.  
  
Rather than blushing and stammering at the compliment, Will's face paled and he hastily reached for his glasses, slipping them on. The feeling in Assassin faded and she shook her head. "Uh, so, what's on the agenda today, Master?"  
  
Will stood and turned to his bathroom, his Servant acutely aware of the bulge in his pants. "I'm going to shower and then I'm going to help the servants make enough breakfast for all of us. You can go after me, if you'd like. I'll have Tess prepare a robe for you and escort you to the dining hall. Uh, if that's okay?"  
  
...She may have been a high-class courtesan, but she wasn't used to this kind of treatment from someone who seemingly didn't intend to bone her. "Uh, sure thing, Master."  
  


* * *

  
The sunlight filtered into the room through fancy drapes as Jersey curled up in the bedsheets. They were comfy on her bare skin and clean, and the mattress was so soft. The bed was so big, too. It was amazing how much bigger a king size was to the single she had in the backroom of her uncle's restaurant. As birds chirped outside and the drape-filtered sunlight illuminated the room, the girl stirred in her sleep, letting out a little moan. As she blinked the sleep from her eyes, she sat up, stretching and letting out a yawn. At first, she was worried. She was alone in the unfamiliar room, which she realized was Will's estate. Where were Asterios and Horrors?  
  
She felt the Magical Energy connection between them, but the drain was much smaller than usual, to the point she was actually recovering more than she lost. "Berserker?" she called into the mental connection.  
  
["Nnh?"]  
  
"A-Are you in Spirit Body form?"  
  
["Nnh."]  
  
"Why?"  
  
["Wanted... conserve Od..."]  
  
Well, that made her feel conflicted. She knew Berserkers consumed a lot more Magical Energy than other Servants, but she had a lot and could easily get more with her secret method. She honestly would've preferred Asterios remain in physical form at all times... But she couldn't deny that with his size, musculature, horns, and child-like intelligence, he stuck out, even in Florida. Well, he didn't stick out as much as places besides Florida, but it was still noticeable... Then there was the fact that, with his size, he wouldn't fit through most doors, and would have to go Spirit Body just to get in and out of rooms and buildings. It was also really sweet of him to be concerned for the drain on her Magical Energy...  
  
Jersey smiled. He really was a sweetheart... "I appreciate the thought, Asterios, but you don't need to feel obligated. I have Magical Energy to spare, and if I start to get low, I can always get more pretty easily. Besides, it's harder to give you hugs if you're in Spirit Body form."  
  
Berserker materialized right before his Master's eyes. He had to crouch a bit under the ceiling. "Hugs... good."  
  
A knock on the door prevented one from actually occurring. Jersey was about to announce whoever it was to come in when they did so anyway. She'd recognize the petite Golem maid anywhere. "Oh! Hi, Maritess."  
  
"Please, call me Tess!" she chirped, giving a little excited hop. "I'm here to draw ya a bath and get ya a robe! I can't believe we actually have guests! I'll bet Willy-Will is so happy!"  
  
Jersey tilted her head to the side a bit. "Do you not often have guests over?"  
  
Maritess giggled. "Jersey, don't you know anything about Magus society? Usually a Magus entering another's base would be tantamount to suicide and they don't often associate with non-Magus anyway! The Goldman family especially is known for being cutthroat and underhanded!" She said all that with such a bright smile and cheery tone... "Now let's get you into that bath!"  
  
The perky little Golem rushed over and pulled Jersey off the bed, only stopping to smile brightly up at Berserker, who merely stared at the maid. She pulled Jersey to the nearby attached bathroom. It looked to be furo-style and the maid began filling the large, low, square bath tub with hot water while her guest stood there, a little dumbfounded. Turning around, Maritess grinned at Jersey. "I gotta say, your boobs are huuuuge!"  
  
A blush came to the Magus's face. "Um... thank you?"  
  
"Ee hee hee hee! I love them! Willy-Will loves tiddies, too. I'm sure he'd love yours!" She said it so casually, Jersey instinctively wrapped her arms around her bust.  
  
"Can we please not talk about my boobs?" she pleaded.  
  
"Oh, fine, fine," Maritess dismissed, though that smile still remained. "Can I at least wash under them for you? I'm a maid, part of my duty is bathing the masters of the house!" She paused. "And guests, I guess. Hee hee!"  
  
She looked so eager... But she was also eyeing Jersey's chest like a predator. The Magus sighed, letting go of her breasts. She wasn't sure, but she could swear she saw Maritess suck in a sharp breath and her smile widen at the sight of them bouncing free of their support.  
  
"Okay, you can... wash them." The look on the maid Golem's face was one of absolute delight. "Oh! Actually... I have an idea. Berserker, could you come in here, please?" She called, making sure it went through the mental connection.  
  
The massive form of Asterios materialized in the bathroom. He showed no reaction to his Master's lack of clothes, just looking at her impassively and letting out a "Hnn?" Maritess notably jumped at the sight of him.  
  
"Berserker, hop in the tub! I want to give you a bath!" Jersey instructed, smiling warmly up at her massive Servant.  
  
Asterios cocked a brow.  
  
"It's okay, Asterios. I just want to help you get clean," she cooed, reaching up and placing a gentle hand on his wrist.  
  
"Hhn..." he grunted, climbing into the bathtub and watching with impassive observation as the hot water filled around him. Jersey soon climbed in after him and she watched as Maritess removed her shoes, stockings, and gloves, then stepped into the large bathtub. The girl was short, but not as much as Jersey. At nearly ten feet tall, even sitting down on his rear, Asterios's shoulders could barely be reached by either of the girls.  
  
Maritess, still clothed in her maid uniform, lathered up some bodywash in a washcloth and took to, as gently as she could, washing the dirt and sweat off the massive, muscular, horned fluffball's body, while Jersey found the shampoo and squirted as much of it in her hands as she could. She lathered them up then went behind her Servant to begin working it into his long, tangled, soft, fluffy mane of white hair. Asterios visibly tensed at their touch, but eyeing Jersey, and likely not sensing any ill intent, he... not _quite_ relaxed into their ministrations, but at least tolerated them.  
  
"Berserker, your hair is just beautiful!" the Magus gushed, running her fingers through his floof. Asterios just grunted in response, seeming a little unsettled by receiving actual care from another person. What life did he live where he was so discomforted by something like this?  
  
Maritess giggled from the other side of the massive Servant. "He's so muscular! Willy-Will's really toned, but he's got nothing on Berserker!" she chirped. "Though you don't mind being nakey in front of him?"  
  
Jersey blushed a bit, but then shrugged. "I'm not as shy about my body as you'd think. So long as it's my choice and around someone I'm okay with, I don't actually mind getting... comfortable... around them. I mean, so long as they don't stare..." the Magus admitted. "I like any personal nudity I engage in to stay casual, not sexual..."  
  
Maritess smirked, giving her guest a knowing look. "Oh? Have you never had a boyfriend or girlfriend?"  
  
The girl blushed, gazing shyly away from the hair she was currently washing.  
  
"Ha! Knew it! Aw, you poor thing... No wonder you act like a-"  
  
"I'm not..."  
  
"Not?"  
  
Jersey's face burned. "I'm not a... a virgin."  
  
It was the perky Golem's turn to blush. "Oh! I... I wasn't trying to imply... uh. So, wait... no boyfriend, but you're not a...?"  
  
"I just... There's nothing wrong with sex outside of a relationship so long as it's consensual! Besides, I'm in college... I'm allowed to experiment..." Jersey asserted, her face still flushed.  
  
Maritess pouted. "Wow, things really are different outside of Magus society... Who's the lucky guy or girl?"  
  
"Lucky person... They were a friend I had back home. It was nice... They showed me how to make it feel good for me, and showed me how to make it feel good for them... I realized I really liked it, in a way that actually surprised me..."  
  
Maritess was silent, and her smile, while not vanishing, lessened. "What's it like?"  
  
Jersey sighed blissfully. "Oh, it's wonderful! The feeling of being filled, the back-and-forth dance of give and take, the union with another person... The look on your partner's face as you squeeze your lower body's muscles or rock your hips just right, asking them what feels good and watching their reactions to make sure of it. The feel of their hands gently massaging your breasts, the deep kissing, the feeling of being their entire world in that moment! The body heat that lingers on you for hours afterwards, the feeling of afterglow! Oh god, and the cuddling afterwards! They kept it inside me as they held me in their arms and kissed my head, and it just made me feel so pleasantly full! It was fulfilling, even! I never wanted them to take it out of me and after they recovered, we went three more times before they said I tired them out! Bottomless pit, they called me! I felt accomplished that I was so good at it and had such stamina and endurance for something that felt so good and made someone else feel so good! I probably would've kept coming back every day had I not had to move to Orlando!"  
  
"...Have you done it since?" Maritess asked, her voice a bit quiet as she scrubbed Berserker's muscled arm.  
  
"Um..." Jersey blushed, reaching on her tip-toes to try and work the shampoo into Asterio's hair. He bent down at the waist to accommodate her, the good fluffy boi. "Sort of... I kind of lost count of all the blowjobs I've done since arriving. I've got probably over twenty guys in my phone I sometimes call up and ask..."  
  
"Wait, what? Why?" Maritess asked, sounding a bit shocked.  
  
"I, uh... I know it's... probably kind of weird, but... When I drink semen, it not only recovers, but boosts my Magical Energy reserves... I'm not sure why..." Jersey explained, her blushing deepening.  
  
"Hm..."  
  
"Why, what's wrong, Tess?"  
  
The Golem looked at Jersey, her smile growing, but not seeming as genuine as usual. "Oh, nothing! Say, want me to go outside and pick some flowers? We could braid them into Berserker's hair."  
  
Jersey frowned, walking around Berserker to the petite maid and wrapping her in a hug. Knowing she liked them, she pushed Maritess's face into her breasts. "Hey. I can tell something's wrong. What is it?"  
  
Maritess sighed happily into the Magus's bosom. "I don't have a pussy... So I likely won't ever know what sex is like..."  
  
Jersey giggled. "Tess, sweetie... That's only one hole you don't have, you know?"  
  
That caused the Golem to look up at the Magus's face, a look of confusion, [followed by epiphany and adoration in her eyes](https://i.imgur.com/cyvhU95.gif).  
  


* * *

  
Rather than wait for Maritess to guide her to the dining hall, Assassin figured she'd take this chance to do some snooping around Will's estate. She donned the white bathrobe (strategically parted at the bustline, of course) and made her way through the halls, carefully avoiding the maid and butler Golems. What she found was... par for the course, honestly.  
  
Artwork, sculptures, vases, fancy lighting. But the tech was surprisingly old-fashioned for this modern era. Plenty of rooms, but very little indication of habitation by anyone except Golems. It was clear that Will's parents were out of the house quite a lot. The estate was regal, but not opulent, and Assassin got the odd sense that there were parts of the estate that she just couldn't find. For one thing, it didn't make sense that this place didn't have a basement, even for Florida...  
  
"Looking for something?"  
  
Assassin jumped, whirling around to find a little black Bombay with red pupils and a ring of bandages around the end of its tail. "Horrors?"  
  
"Indeed. Greetings, Assassin," he greeted in his deep, pleasing baritone. "If you're looking for the basement or the boy's parent's rooms, I'm afraid you’re quite out of luck. Both are protected by powerful Bounded Fields. I do not think even the boy and most of the Golems can enter them. If you want to find out the Goldman family's secrets, then I'm sorry to say you're better off asking the boy himself."  
  
Assassin sighed, crossing her arms under her bust. "Oh, well..."  
  
The housecat Familiar cocked a brow. "And why so eager to investigate your Master's parents, Assassin?"  
  
Mata Hari grinned and knelt down, giving the cat a look down her robe as she reached forward and began to scritch under Horrors's chin. Despite himself, the Familiar closed his eyes, folded his ears back, and started purring.  
  
"Fufufu... I'm a spy, silly. Considering my parameters, information is all I have. It, and my charms, are my weapon."  
  
"Mmmm... Prrrrr... Are you sure you're not just eager to please the boy?"  
  
Assassin replied by lifting the cat up and holding him to her bosom, scritching at his ears. "Nah, just your imagination. Now be a good kitty and soak up the affection."  
  
"Prrrrrr... I know exactly what you're doing, Assassin... And it's working."  
  
"Ufufufu... Good kitty. Now let's head to breakfast," she said, turning and walking down the halls, still scritching at the cat in her arms.  
  
"Food... Prrrrr... Still hate you, though," Horrors grumbled.  
  
"Keep telling yourself that, kitten. Ufufu..."  
  


* * *

  
It wasn't long before Jersey, Horrors, Berserker, and Assassin were at a long dining table that only had three chairs. In fact, the Golem maids and butlers had to bring more from storage. It was clear the Goldmans didn't entertain guests much, though the Golems were delighted at the chance to do so.  
  
It was a bit of an awkward wait around the table as they waited for Will, Maritess, and the food. Jersey kept a hand on Berserker's arm to placate him, though she really didn't need to. He was a bit tense, but it seemed more out of alertness than discomfort or suspicion. He was a good, fluffy boi.  
  
The smell was delicious and it wasn't long before the door to the kitchen swung open and Will, Maritess, and a few of the other Golems came in with several trays of pancakes, eggs, bacon, juice, milk, oatmeal, and coffee.  
  
Will took a seat at the table alongside Assassin, with Maritess standing off to the side, a big smile on her face as she watched them eat. It was so nice, seeing Will have guests... She could tell he was just ecstatic at the very notion.  
  
Jersey adjusted her robe a bit, feeling somewhat self conscious. It was a little long on her, yet also didn't seem wide enough... She was okay showing cleavage and skin, but really only when it was her choice. Assassin glanced across the table at her, giving her a half-lidded, knowing smirk. Uhhh... Should she be worried?  
  
"So, uh... I guess this is the start of the Berserker/Assassin alliance, right? Jersey and Berserker handle the fighting, Assassin handles the information, I handle the healing and resources... I think this could seriously work out!" Will said, cutting into his omelet.  
  
"Hnn..." Berserker agreed, biting into an entire stack of pancakes at once, drenched in maple syrup, whipped cream, and fruit.  
  
"Hmph." Horrors summed up, eating from his bowl of breakfast hash just down the table from his (technical) mistress and her Servant. "Assuming the trappings of Magus society don't catch up to you, boy."  
  
"Horrors, be nice!" Jersey snapped at her Familiar. She turned back to Will, stopping to take a bite of her scrambled eggs. Oh, this was good... "Sorry... Horrors was my great-grandpa's Familiar. He taught me everything he knew, but not everything he thought, and I think Horrors is stuck in great-grandpa's way of thinking. I mean... You've given me no reason so far not to trust you, Will... Though I admit I don't know much about the Moonlit World and Magus society."  
  
"Oh, but I do, I just... don't agree with it, heh," Will explained, looking a little ashamed. "How'd you inherent a Familiar, though?"  
  
"Oh! Well, I always thought Horrors was just an ordinary cat... But then grand-grandpa Django saw me reading modern fantasy novels and told me about my lineage. Great-Grandpa Django gave me all his books and equipment and taught me what I know about Magecraft! He said my grandma never wanted to be a Magus, and he'd given up finding an heir for the generation after that."  
  
"Django..." Will tapped his fork on his plate in thought. "Django Freeman? I think I heard of him! Foremost expert on summoning and familiars in the American south, right? I think my own great-grandma had some run-ins with him a couple times! Wasn't he part of a lineage of sugar plantation slaves who learned Magecraft from their masters, made innovations, and sold the improvement back to them to buy their freedom?"  
  
"I must say, you are quite knowledgeable, boy," Horrors said, still eating from his bowl. "Yes, my former Master Django was from that lineage, though many Magi felt that his interest in the demonic was a tad too outside the code of ethics even for their morally bankrupt standards."  
  
"Where is he now? Could I meet him someday?" Will asked, excited.  
  
"Oh, I'm afraid Master Django passed away three years ago. He went quite peacefully in bed at age 111. I was instructed by him to look after this child," he gestured his paw at Jersey, "in his stead. She knew I was a familiar after Master Django began teaching her Magecraft, but she did not know I could speak until after he died. I must always have an ongoing contract for Magical Energy, so after Master Django was gone, I offered this child the chance to become her Familiar with a new contract."  
  
"I had the strangest feeling I was making a deal with the devil," the girl giggled. "Oh, and luckily Great-Grandpa Django gave me his Magic Crest before he died!"  
  
"Fufu... Speaking of Magecraft, how about we do some strategizing first, hm?" Assassin proposed. "So far, we know the only other Servant summoned is Caster, who has a headstart on us."  
  
"I had an idea, actually!" Jersey said after a sip of milk. "First, you should know that besides Reinforcement, my other specialty is Alchemy. If we get some water from around town, I can probably test the amount of Magical Energy in it, and we could use that to pinpoint areas of heavy Magecraft use. We might be able to track down where Caster set up their Workshop that way."  
  
Maritess clapped. "Oh, that's a really good idea, Jers!" the perky Golem chirped.  
  
Will nodded. "Does Berserker have Magic Resistance?"  
  
Berserker shook his head.  
  
"I don't either..." Assassin explained, rubbing the back of her head and sticking her tongue out.  
  
"Then we'll have to prepare for Caster however we can," Jersey said.  
  
"Hmmm... Yes, but I do have something I would like to propose first..." Horrors began. He raised his head from his bowl of hash, glaring at Will despite the bit of meat sitting on one of his whiskers. "I'm sorry to say, but I still don't fully trust you, and this child is rather naive about Magus society. I would like to propose a Geis. Just to insure that no one present will betray each other. I would be happy to write one up and Assassin and Maritess may even look it over for me."  
  
"Hey! Horrors! You're being as bad as most Magi when it comes to trust right now!" Assassin said, crossing her arms beneath her bust and glaring at the feline Familiar.  
  
"Hey, relax, Assassin," Will soothed. "I think this should be fine, so long as the terms are reasonable and both parties come to an-"  
  
"No..."  
  
Horrors's head shot out from the bowl, licking his lips. "No? Really, child?"  
  
"No," Jersey asserted. "We don't need one. Trust is a two-way road. If Will is going to trust me... Then I need to trust him in turn. Otherwise this alliance won't work. We can't fight the other Masters and Servants if we're too busy watching out for backstaps."  
  
Berserker glanced down at his Master. Without a word, he reached down and gave her a headpat. Jersey giggled in response.  
  
"Really, child? How naive can you be? Why, if Master Django were alive to-"  
  
"Horrors, if you pull this shit, I'm cutting you off from scritches." Assassin said, the threat clear in her normally honey-silkened voice.  
  
The Familiar paused a moment... then shrugged and returned to his breakfast. "Doing this on a whim, not because I care about the scritches."  
  
Jersey sighed, shaking her head. Such a difficult Familiar...  
  
There was a knock on the dining room door. Maritess went to answer, opening it to let one of the Golem butlers in. "Beg your pardon, Young Master. Didn't mean to interrupt breakfast with your guest, but you have a visitor at the front gate."  
  
"Who is it?" Will asked.  
  
"Your uncle."

* * *

  
Jersey, Maritess, and Horrors followed after Will, while Asterios and Mata Hari hung around in Spirit Body form. Will seemed rather happy, in fact.  
  
"You have an uncle?" Jersey asked. From what she heard, Magus families weren't big on multiple births...  
  
"Yeah, my Uncle Thomson. He's on my dad's side of the family. In fact, he's the one who inherited my dad's Family Crest, though he was never all that interested in Magecraft aside from creature comforts. He's a doctor! Dr. Landsberg, in fact. He owns a clinic in town. I wonder what he's coming to tell us?"  
  
"It seems he's engaged to be married, Young Master," the golem butler explained.  
  
"Oh! That's sudden. I didn't even know he was dating someone."  
  
Through the halls of the estate and out the front door, Will led his guests through the front yard, down the driveway, and to the front gate, where Will's uncle and his fiance were waiting. The young man opened the gate and stepped outside.  
  
Doctor Thomson Landsberg was a very large man at a solid seven feet tall, built with muscles upon muscles. His hair was short, spiky, and brown while a stubble covered his chin and jaw. His eyes were gray and slightly beady, slight bags under his eyes from all-nighter surgeries and medical research. Befitting a doctor, he wore a white lab coat over a red muscle T and beige khaki pants with brown crocs. His hands were in his lab coat's pocket. He smiled at Will, a pleasant expression on the massive, hyper-masculine bear of an intellectual's face.  
  


  
Standing next to him was an incredibly beautiful woman. Will had to admit, he didn't expect his uncle to land such a beauty, while Jersey couldn't help comparing her to Assassin. Assassin may have been all curves and oozed sexuality, but this woman was a classy beauty.  
  
Her hair was almost a periwinkle shade of blue, long and straight with a noticeable braid behind one ear. Ears that were oddly knife-shaped. Her skin was fair and flawless, her eyes a similar shade to her hair. She wore a long, purple skirt that came down to her ankles, her feet clad in black, heeled boots. The pale blue tank top she wore to accommodate the summer Florida heat indicated a respectable bust size and slender curves. Her lips seemed to be painted purple.  
  
"Iron Will! Good to see you! How's my favorite nephew been doing!" Doctor Landsberg exclaimed, holding his huge hand out for a fistbump.  
  
Will reciprocated it. "I've been doing good! Sorry mom and dad couldn't be here to meet you. They're out of town. Oh, this is Jersey. She's a friend of mine."  
  
"You? A friend? Did you meet her at the coffee shop or your secret photography classes?" the doctor asked, smiling at the short girl. Jersey was still wearing just a robe but she could tell that Doctor Landsberg was like Will... Just a genuinely sincere guy.  
  
"Uh, it's complicated. So, who's the lucky girl, Uncle Thompson?" Will asked, smiling up at his uncle.  
  
"Oh, this is Cassie. She's-"  
  
"No. No need for the act around them... Master."

  
Will and Jersey tensed.  
  
"I can feel the presence of a Servant..."  
  
Assassin and Berserker both materialized, the latter having already summoned his Armaments.  
  
"Master..." Assassin hissed, standing protectively in front of Will. "I think she's..."  
  
"Oh no... Cassie, are they really?" the doctor began, voice deepening and brow furrowing. His fists clenched and Jersey couldn't help but notice the muscles in his arms bulge.  
  
Before their eyes, the woman began floating in the air and materialized an ornamental staff to her hand. Will could swear he felt Magical Energy thickening in the air around her. "Yes. Berserker and Assassin, I presume? I am Caster."


	5. Opening Gambits [Act 1]

Berserker bellowed out a roar, moving to stand between Jersey and his enemy Servant. "NO HURT MASTER!"  
  
"Will, I could use my Noble Phantasm." she whispered, hoping it was loud enough for their allies to hear, but not the enemy Master and Servant. "It should settle this fight for now..."  
  
Jersey looked up at Will from behind Berserker, noting the hesitation on his face. He was gazing at his uncle and when Jersey looked at the large doctor, she saw that he had the same look. They really didn't want to fight each other...  
  
["Ah, I do hope I'm not interrupting?"]  
  
Oh! That was... "Overseer?" Doctor Landsberg said, looking up.  
  
["No, no. Do carry on. I just felt I should inform you all that the Rider and the Saber Servants have just been summoned."]  
  
"...At the same time?" Caster asked.  
  
["Ah, well... I _suppose_ the Saber was summoned last night, but... Well, I'm not free all the time, you know. Anyway, my duty has been fulfilled, so I shall leave you all to your own devices. Ta-ta for now."]  
  
The connection faded and the remaining parties gazed among themselves.  
  
"Master, should we continue?" Caster asked, floating down to the ground to stand next to him.  
  
Doctor Landsberg sighed, then shook his head, chuckling. "Nah. That was kind of a moodkiller. Hey, Will? What were you going to do today?"  
  
"Uh... I was going to get Assassin and Jersey some clothes..."  
  
"Perfect! Caster has great fashion sense. Why don't we head into town, make a day of it?"  
  
"But Master!" Caster objected, whirling to face the doctor. "They are the enemy! We can't-"  
  
"Cassie... Don't you want to help dress those two girls up in cute clothes?" the doctor asked, smirking a bit as he thrust his thumb at the Magus and Servant.  
  
Caster swallowed hard, turning to leer at Assassin and Jersey. "...Yes," she admitted quietly.  
  
"Thought so. And remember, in public, it's Doctor, not Master." He turned back to the two Masters and their Servants. "So, how about it? Wanna head out, make a day of it? We may be enemies once this Grail War starts, but for now... You're still my nephew and his friends, and Cassie's still my fiance."  
  
Will and Jersey looked to each other, then their Servants. The Golemancer smiled up at his uncle. "That'd be great, Uncle Thomson."  
  
Assassin grabbed Will's arm. "Hey. I know that the Grail War hasn't officially started yet, but us not fighting until all seven Servants are summoned is a request, not a rule! How do you know Caster won't try something?" The woman was glaring daggers at Assassin as she spoke.  
  
Will shrugged his arm away. "Because I know my uncle. He's a good guy. Uncle Thomson, if Caster tried something against us, how would you feel?"  
  
He turned to gaze at the significantly shorter girl, who stared up at him with an uneasy expression. "I don't need to think about how I'd feel. She won't. I trust her. She's my Servant... But she's also my fiance. It wouldn't do to attack her nephew-in-law."  
  
Caster's expression went from pained to flushed as she whirled around, bringing her hands to her face to hide her embarrassment. Assassin couldn't help filing that nugget away. She might be able to use this... Both for personal gain and personal amusement, of course. Not that those two couldn't be one and the same, hee hee!  
  
"I think it's fine." Jersey said. "I'm a little... uncomfortable with how Caster is leering at me, but if Doctor Landsberg is anything like Will, this should be fun." She smirked. "Besides, I've got Berserker. He can follow in Spirit Body form and he wouldn't let anyone hurt me, right?"  
  
"Hnn!" Berserker grunted, punching his chest. Though he couldn't help but note that Caster seemed familiar... It wasn't that he recognized what she looked like. Far from it, he was sure he'd never met the woman before in his life. But something about her _felt_ familiar... Like she had a similar essence to him, if that made any sense. Anyway, the massive horned figure of muscles and fluff dissipated into Spirit Body form, but Jersey could feel his presence.  
  
Will grinned. Reaching into his bag, he pulled out a maid uniform, shoes, gloves, and hair ribbons, placing them on the ground. He then pulled out a large book. "Tess, wanna go shopping with Uncle Thomson?"  
  
The pages of the book flowed out of the spine, filling the maid uniform until they reformed into Maritess. The little Golem ran to the massive physician and jumped into his arms, the man catching and spinning her around before pulling her into a hug.  
  
"Uncle Doc! It's been so long!" she chirped.  
  
"Tess! Good to see you again! You're as adorable as ever!" Doctor Landsberg exclaimed, a big smile on his face.  
  
Jersey had to blink a few moments. "Wait... Tess, you were here the whole time? But... I never saw you, um... go into Will's bag?"  
  
Maritess glanced over at Jersey, grinning cheekily. "Sneaky, huh? Willy-Will and I practiced that trick for years! I can still hear from in my book spine, too! I'm always ready to defend or eavesdrop for Willy-Will!"  
  
Assassin couldn't help smiling. Huh, maybe Will was more suited to summon an Assassin than she thought, if he was capable of coming up with something like that with his Familiar.  
  


* * *

  
It was a hop into Doctor Landsberg's minivan and the group of three Magi, two Familiars, and three Servants in Spirit Body form were on their way to Macy's department store. Orlando was a big town and the Goldman estate was fairly far on the outskirts, so it was quite a drive. Still, aside from idle chatter, talk about the Grail War was kept to a minimum. To be honest, Jersey could tell that this was intentional on Will and the doctor's part. It was almost like an unspoken code between them, a silent inside language she was an outsider to... Just how close were they, and how did they feel now that they were enemies in a Grail War?  
  
Once arriving at Macy's, Caster and Assassin wasted no time in materializing into physical forms and, with the help of Maritess, ushering Jersey's into the clothing aisles. There was little room for protest and she was somewhat worried she might be in for more than she bargained for, though she knew Berserker would be keeping an eye on her in Spirit Body form...  
  
Will and Doctor Landsberg waited outside the lingerie section, the former trying to look anywhere but at the bras and panties. Horrors sat at their feet, tail swaying back and forth as he gave them an indifferent stare. The large, muscular physician noticed his nephew's awkward ignorance of where to look and clapped him on the back.  
  
"Hey, relax there, Iron Will. So, I take it you're getting to know Jersey over there to make sure she'll go easy on you in the Grail War?" he asked, grinning.  
  
Will chuckled uneasily. "Not quite... See, we're... in an alliance."  
  
Doctor Landsberg cocked an eyebrow. "An alliance, you say?" There wasn't any judgment in his voice, just curiosity. Good start. That gave Will the confidence to continue.  
  
"Yeah. We're actually, uh... Well, you know me. Aside from Golemancy and Healing Magecraft, I really don't have anything I can use in a direct fight, and even the best Golems pale against the weakest Servants. My Assassin doesn't even have Presence Concealment. She's more about espionage. She can gather information, but don't count on her to assassinate anyone. On the other hand, Berserker and Jersey are both powerhouses, but a bit too overspecialized to combat... So, we figured we'd work together, get as far as we could together in this Grail War, and figure out what to do when we got there."  
  
Doctor Landsberg brought his hand to his stubbly chin, nodding. "Hmmm... Sound reasoning, but was it born of strategy, or compassion?"  
  
Will sighed, his shoulders slumping. "You know me too well, Uncle Thomson. So, I guess I don't need to ask... Would you want in on this?"  
  
The massive doctor let out a long "hmmmm," and it wasn't just Will who sucked and held in a breath... Horrors found himself doing the same, though he wasn't sure why.  
  


* * *

  
Maritess and Caster seemed downright giddy as they ran around the store, gathering what clothes they felt would fit Assassin and Jersey. Assassin watched with curiosity, Jersey with worry. She hoped they wouldn't pick something too revealing...  
  
Eventually both the Servant and Golem ran up with piles of clothes and shoved them both into individual changing rooms. "Try these on!" Maritess chirped. As the curtains closed, she raised a hand for Caster to high-five her. Awkwardly, the Servant reciprocated.  
  
Jersey stumbled to her feet in the changing room, going through the clothes that Maritess and Caster had picked out. Most of these looked to have far less cloth material than she was used to wearing... Which should she try on?  
  
"Um... U-Underwear?" the Magus called out of the changing room.  
  
"That comes next!" shouted... Assassin?! Was she intent on embarrassing Jersey, too? Oh no...  
  
Jersey pulled out the white sundress from the pile. It was certainly the most modest-looking of the five outfits that Caster and Maritess had chosen. At least, it seemed that way until she put it on...  
  
The skirt was shorter than she anticipated. Certainly not indecent, but she was showing quite a bit of leg. The top of the dress had a V-neck and it was showing a surprising amount of cleavage. Jersey had to assume that it was designed for someone not as... _blessed_ as she was. The Magus tried to smooth and straighten out her skirt and also adjust the thin straps of the dress. Self-conscious of her lack of underwear, she stepped out of the changing room.  
  
The little golem maid jumped and excitedly clapped. "You look so pretty, Jers!" she exclaimed. Caster, on the other hand, just drooled, her eyes wide and sparkly. It was a reaction that made Jersey go 'meep' internally.  
  
The changing room next to her opened and now it was her turn to react. Assassin stepped out in an outfit that looked downright indecent on her curves. Denim cut-off shorts clung to her rear like a second skin and would make Daisy Duke herself blush. A blouse was normally a modest article of clothing, but Assassin had lived up to her Class's name and made it worthy of killing: She'd rolled the sleeves up, left it completely unbuttoned, and merely tied the ends together in a knot just under her bust, giving it lift, exposing her midriff, and revealing a criminal amount of cleavage.  
  
"Aaaaand I'm gay," Maritess swooned. Caster merely gave an enthusiastic thumbs-up while blood leaked from her nose.  
  
"Underwear, please?" Jersey pleaded.  
  
"What? But any undies we give Assassin will just show in something that skimpy..." the perky maid pointed out.  
  
"Besides, don't ruin a good sundress by wearing panties," Caster added.  
  
Assassin stepped forward and placed a hand on the small Golem's shoulder. Maritess visibly flushed at the contact. Wow, even someone with single-target sexuality wasn't immune to Assassin's charm.  
  
...What? Jersey wasn't dense, she could see Tess's feelings for Will plain as day. And she didn't blame her. One look in those eyes and she could tell, he was way out of her league.  
  
"Tess, honey... The best kind of underwear is the kind you only wear when you want it to be seen or plan to wear nothing else but it," Assassin explained, leaning in to whisper into the Golem's ear, though she could still be heard clearly by Caster and Jersey.  
  
Maritess's face went from flushed to glowing neon red and even Jersey felt a shudder go through her. Wow. She knew she was already into both women and men, but Assassin was starting to make her think she was more into women than she thought... She just hoped the material of this sundress could hide her arousal...  
  


* * *

  
On the walk over to the lingerie section, Assassin sidled over to Caster, a very cat-like smile on her face. "So... fiance, hm?"  
  
Caster raised her head high, though Assassin couldn't help but note the slight pink to her cheeks. "It is a cover that Master and I are using to allow me to walk openly in public with less suspicion. Think no more of it, Assassin."  
  
"Oh ho? Fufufu..." Assassin leaned in and poked the other Servant in the cheek. "You suuure about that? Because the doctor seems to genuinely care for you."  
  
"R-Really?" Caster exclaimed... then quickly caught herself. "I mean... Of course he does. I am his Servant, he is my Master. Together we will win this Holy Grail War. Why wouldn't he care for his partner in such an endeavor?"  
  
"Hmmm... Hey, Caaassie. Like my outfit?" Assassin asked, a mischievous smile on her face.  
  
Caster's face flushed. "Y... Yes. Very much so..."  
  
"Want to see me in the ooothers you picked out? Fufufu..."  
  
"...What are you getting at?" Caster asked, clearly cautious.  
  
"Drop the act, Cassie. You love him, he loves you, I want the story. Dish and I'll model whatever cute clothes you want."  
  
Caster's face seemed to swap between so many different emotions, it was hard to catch them all. "I-I-I-I'll think about it..."  
  
"No you woooon't! Ufufufu!"  
  
Meanwhile, on the other side of the loose walking group, Will looked up at his uncle. "Hey, Uncle Thompson... Why do you want the Holy Grail?"  
  
The large physician sighed, a smile on his face. "I want... the panacea."  
  
"You want the Grail to give you the panacea?"  
  
"Ha! No, no. Of course not. That'd be too easy. Where's the accomplishment in that? I want it to give me a hint on how to create or find the panacea. I still want the discovery or creation of the panacea to be my own achievement, and I want it to be an achievement that would allow me to produce more and share it with the world. I don't want the Holy Grail to be an easy button for me. I just want it to point me in the right direction," Doctor Landsberg explained. "What about you, Will? Why do you want the Grail?"  
  
"I... I don't," he deflected. "Just participating in this Grail War should give me what I need..."  
  
He stared at his nephew. "Iron Will, I know you too well for that. Tell me, what wish do you have for the Grail?"  
  
Will sighed, gazing down at the ground. "Yeah... There _is_ something I'd want to wish for. I... I want..."  
  
Doctor Landsberg's eyes widened.  
  


* * *

  
It was a quick trip to the lingerie section and Jersey was faced with something extremely embarrassing...  
  
"They, um... They don't... have my size."  
  
Caster, Maritess, and Assassin all looked up from the bras and panties they were perusing. In disturbing unison, they looked at Jersey, then each other, then Jersey's chest, then their own chests.  
  
"This store carries up to a DDD, though..." Assassin said. "I know, because I'm a 36F."  
  
"32D," Caster said, fidgeting a bit.  
  
"Variable!" Maritess chirped.  
  
All thee stared at her.  
  
"What? I'm made of paper. I can reshape myself. I just usually stick to a 32A because it's less of a hassle."  
  
Shrugging, they all turned to Jersey, expectantly waiting.  
  
"Um, th-thirty-eight..." she mumbled the last part.  
  
"Loud enough so the rest of the class can hear you, Jersey," Assassin teased.  
  
"38H!" the Magus shouted.  
  
Caster, Assassin, and Maritess stared at Jersey... then her chest. Then their own chests. Then each other. Then back at Jersey. "How do you function?" "That's bigger than mine!" "Can I feel them?"  
  
"I'LL JUST USE MY UNDERWEAR AT HOME, CAN WE LEAVE THIS STORE NOW PLEASE?!"  
  


* * *

  
As the girls left the store, Will turned to look, his jaw dropping.  
  
Assassin was pure, walking sex, but... when was she not? Even dressed in just some sandals, cut-off shorts, and that tied blouse, she looked less like a streetwalker and more like a high-class courtesan... Wait, that's what she was in life!  
  
Jersey, on the other hand, was a surprise. He'd politely avoided looking at her body, since she'd been wearing a bathrobe or less since he first met her, but now that she was wearing that white sun dress, well... How did he not notice until now? The girl was short and chubby, but those curves were sensual and her bust was... yeah, downright enormous. The bounce created by each of her steps made it clear she wasn't wearing a bra and Will couldn't help swallowing hard at the sight of the anatomical physics in motion. The Magus walked right up to him, smiling shyly up at the significantly taller young man. Her hands were clasped at her waist, her arms pushing her bust together in a way that forced him to tear his eyes away and up at her face. Her glasses slid down her nose a bit so her amber eyes gazed directly into his. Shit, with a full two feet difference in height, he had the perfect view down her already low neckline...  
  
"Um... H-How do I look?" She asked, lifting her skirt a bit to show it off.  
  
"Whoa..." The noise came unbidden from Will's lips, like deep, subconscious thought forced up from within with no regards to his actual self-control.  
  
Jersey's plump lips turned into a more natural smile, along with a sigh of relief. "Really? You like it? Cassie and Tess picked it out... I was worried, I don't usually wear things like this..."  
  
Will glanced at the Servant and Familiar. The pointy-eared woman gave a sparkly-eyed thumbs up, while Maritess winked at him and stuck out her tongue. Assassin, next to them, simply smirked. Blushing, he turned back to Jersey. "They... picked well," he squeaked, his voice cracking. This caused the girl's cheeks to flush.  
  
Doctor Thomson grinned. "Well, now that Assassin has a wardrobe and Jersey's dressed, how about we-"  
  
A ringing went off and with practiced motions he pulled a smartphone out of his lab coat's pocket and brought it to his ear. "Yello? Really? I'll be right in. I'm just down the street. See you soon." He ended the call, then turned to everyone. "Emergency at the hospital. They need an extra hand. Cassie, could you teleport me there?"  
  
"Of course, Doctor. Should I head home afterwards and make dinner?" Caster asked.  
  
"Ha! Nice thought, but no. How about you instead spend the rest of the day with my nephew and his friends?"  
  
She glanced at the group, thoughts of them being the enemy no doubt running through her head. "But, Master..."  
  
The doctor walked forward and gently grasped Caster's chin, bringing her eyes up to meet his. "Hey. You're my Servant, but before and above that, you're a person and my fiance. That over there is my nephew and his friends. As far as I'm concerned, this Grail War hasn't started yet." he moved his hand from Caster's chin to gently cup her cheek. It was odd that a man with such massive hands could be so gentle, but then again, he _was_ a doctor. He had to be good with his hands. "So why don't you spend some time with your future nephew-in-law?"  
  
Caster placed her hand over Doctor Landsberg's, nuzzling her cheek into his palm. "Okay..."  
  
The two vanished, breaking apart into purple-black butterflies, and it was a short time later that Caster returned in the same way. She was pouting and her arms were crossed. "So... Where to?"  
  
["P... Park."]  
  
"Um... Berserker would like to go to a park? Please?" Jersey tentatively proposed.  
  
Assassin and Will looked to each other, then to Caster. Her lips pursed, and then she nodded. "If any of you try anything, I'm using Spacial Transportation to escape..."  
  
"Why would I try anything? My uncle wouldn't forgive me if I hurt my future aunt-in-law," Will said, a genuine smile on his face.  
  
Assassin was surprised by now naturally such a statement came to him. He said it like it was an obvious thought. She had to admit, the way Caster's face tinted pink was quite entertaining...

* * *

  
At the park, Jersey and Will sat on one of the benches. They found a somewhat secluded part filled with trees and grass, so Berserker could return to his physical body form. Jersey had to admit, it was nice to see him enjoy himself. His face was serious, but as he sat in the grass, butterflies fluttering around him and birds perching on his horns, she could tell he was happy.  
  
Assassin, Maritess, and Caster were nearby. Will could feel the connection to both his Familiar and Servant. They seemed to be engaged in some idle small talk. He had to inwardly smile at them slowly breaking down Caster's hang-ups.  
  
Jersey looked up at her allied fellow Master as he sat back, his legs together and his arms hanging over the back of the bench. In comparison, Jersey's legs were hanging off the seat of the bench and her hands were demurely clasped in her lap. She was a little self-conscious of her lack of panties in this dress, but so far nothing had been exposed... Then again, it wasn't like Will hadn't already seen her naked.  
  
...Wow, she hadn't known him for even a day yet, and he'd already seen her naked, invited her to his home, taken her shopping, and treated her to breakfast. Wasn't this moving way too fast? It was like some whirlwind romance novel... If their Servants, Familiars, and Caster weren't here, it'd be like a date!  
  
That very thought caused her face to redden. Jersey had had sex... But she'd never been on a date before!  
  
"Hm? Is the heat getting to you, Jersey?" Will asked, turning his gaze away from Berserker and to his allied fellow Master.  
  
"NOPE!" she squeaked, her voice cracking. "I-I mean... I'm fine!"  
  
Will sighed in relief. "That's good... I'd hate if you got heat stroke or something."  
  
...Dammit, Will, and your genuine care and concern...  
  
"Five Servants summoned so far... Caster, Berserker, Assassin, Saber, and Rider... We don't know when the last two Servants will be summoned, but when it starts, we won't be able to relax like this..." Will mused, sounding a bit somber.  
  
Jersey reached over and grasped his hand in hers. "Hey. Relax. When this Grail War starts, at least we'll be allies. And if the Grail War ends with just us two... Well, we don't really have to hurt each other, right?"  
  
"Yeah, I guess... I'd still hate to see Assassin or Berserker hurt, though..."  
  
The Magus smiled. "That's a lot of compassion for a natural-born Magus, Will..."  
  
He groaned. "Don't remind me..."  
  
"Uh, hey, Will... I'm sorry. I know we didn't exactly have a good first impression. I'm not normally so violent... I just got excited," she explained.  
  
He gave the short girl as easygoing smile. "Nah, don't worry about it. I've been involved with the Moonlit World my whole life. I'm used to my life being in danger."  
  
Jersey's eyes widened in concern. "Is Magus society really that dangerous?"  
  
Will shrugged. "Well, yeah. Didn't you know?"  
  
Jersey shook her head, staring down at her sun dress's cleavage. "I thought I was just a normal girl until Great-Grandpa Django saw me reading Zatanna and Harry Potter... For some reason, my mom and grandma weren't interestedin being Magi. They practiced for a bit, but my dad, grandpa, and Great-Grandpa Django said they all were stricken with a deep wanderlust and left once they got older. I heard they weren't all that maternal, either..."  
  
Will gave her hand a squeeze. "Well, you definitely seem maternal to me."  
  
"What?" Jersey squeaked, looking up at him.  
  
The Golemancer smiled. "I admit, I haven't known you long... but you seem like a natural nurturer to me."  
  
"About that..." Jersey's free hand gripped her skirt. "Why are you so quick to trust me? Aren't you a Magus? Isn't trust a valuable commodity in the Moonlit World?"  
  
Will reached up and adjusted his glasses. "Yeah... But I guess that's why I'm so quick to trust. I want to be trusted... And I can't take without a bit of give first, you know? What about you? Why so quick to trust me?"  
  
Jersey let out a little giggle. "I guess I just felt bad, attacking you right after meeting you... And I guess I didn't grow up around people out for my life, so I didn't think you were dangerous. Besides, I can tell... you're just a genuine person, Will."  
  
The Golemancer's cheeks tinted pink. The Master of Berserker scooted a bit closer, pressing her bare arm into Will's. He was wearing a casual jacket despite the Florida heat...  
  
Asterios abruptly vanished from where he was sitting, causing Jersey to jump. Did he enter Spirit Body form?  
  
["Happening, happening!"]  
  
Will also got a mental message from Assassin. ["Well, well, seems like something is going on! Fufufu."]  
  
Will and Jersey both jumped from the bench, whirling around.  
  
"Grrrrr..." "Awoooo!"  
  
Both Magi watched as something emerged from the bushes and treelines. They were...  
  
"Wolves?" Jersey pointed.  
  
"No, red wolves! That can't be... They're nearly extinct here in Florida," Will explained.  
  
"They're Familiars."

  
  
Both Magi turned to see Horrors hop onto the backrest of the bench. "Apologies, I was scouting the area."  
  
"Willy-Will!" Will turned to see his own Familiar run up, holding her skirt in her hands.  
  
["Master, I sense a Servant in the area. Can you take care of the Familiars while Berserker and I try and find them?"]  
  
["Of course."] Will turned to Maritess. "Tess, I need a weapon!"  
  
The Golem burst into a storm of paper, flowing out of the maid uniform and letting it drop to the grassy ground. They gathered to Will's hand, where they folded and shaped themselves, soon taking the form of a pale yellow scimitar.  
  
"Maritess: Sword Mode!"  
  
Horrors cocked a brow. "Impressive. But are you sure that oversized piece of origami can deal more than paper cuts?"  
  
Will smirked. "You underestimate the Goldman family Golemancy, Horrors. Tess isn't just a Golem, she's a Familiar _and_ a Mystic Code. I may be bad at Reinforcement... But Tess isn't!"  
  
Jersey watched the paper scimitar as blue lines glowed on its surface. "She can Reinforce herself, even in paper form?"  
  
"Praise her later when she's humanoid enough to receive headpats, child. For now, you have Familiars to fight. I will be here to back you up if needed," Horrors instructed, pointed a paw at the advancing, growling red wolves. "There looks to be ten of them. Do try not to get overwhelmed."  
  
Jersey nodded, raising her fists. "Alchemy: Iron Fist."  
  
Before Will's eyes, Jersey's fists transmuted into solid iron. He had to give a whistle. "Hot damn. That's a nice trick." The girl blushed in response.  
  
"Reinforcement." Blue lines of Magical Energy flowed along her arms and legs, including the literal iron fists she wielded.  
  
"Good. You're prepared. Your Servants will try and find where the Master and Servant are, but _do_ be prepared should they try something before they are found," the feline Familiar explained.  
  
"Are you sure the Master is here with their Servant?" Will asked the cat.  
  
"Hmph! Do not underestimate the perception of a housecat, boy. The Master of these Familiars is here. I can feel them."  
  
Jersey couldn't help but smile. "Aren't you confident?"  
  
"I'm a cat," Horrors deadpanned.  
  
Jersey and Will stood back-to-back. They both knew they'd have to change their strategy. Jersey wanted to preserve her modesty, Will wasn't much of a fighter. Against this many enemies, a defensive strategy would be best. The two Magi glanced over their shoulders at each other, both nodding and sharing a smirk.  
  
When the first wolf charged in, Jersey punched it into the ground with a downward hammerfist, right on the top of its head. Another lunged forward and Will swung his sword, smacking it in the face with the flat of his blade. Maritess strategically adjusted her Reinforcement to both conserve Magical Energy and up the power at the right moment.  
  
Both wolves got up and shook their heads, backing away while the remaining eight advanced.  
  
"I can't help but notice you're holding back more than usual," Will mused, smiling.  
  
Jersey straightened her skirt, blushing. She wasn't about to tell him she wasn't wearing panties! "Um... They're a nearly extinct species. They may be Familiars, but I'd feel bad killing something like that..."  
  
"Hah! Same. Hopefully if we beat them down enough, our enemy Magus should recall them." ["Mata Hari, what are you doing?"]  
  
["I'm trying to find the enemy Master. If I can convince them I'm a loved one I can hopefully get them to reveal something, or if I can have them think I'm an innocent bystander, the fear of discovery might get them to run."]  
  
["I'd rather you go find Caster, but... okay. Just stay safe."]  
  
["Fufufu. Worried about me, Maaaster~?"]  
  
Will blushed, much to Jersey's confusion. ["W-Well, why wouldn't I? You're my friend..."]  
  
["Oh? Just a friend? Break a girl's heart, why don't you. Fufu... Okay then, Maaaster~!"]  
  
A sexual shudder ran through Will's spine at the sound of his Servant's honey-slicked voice. He managed to focus just in time to spin himself around to smack another wolf with Maritess. Jersey, meanwhile contacted Berserker.  
  
["Asterios? What are you doing?"]  
  
["Hnnn!"]  
  
["Uh... Okay, just... be careful, okay? You're the strongest Servant in this war so far, but we don't know whether this one has the Rider or Saber, and either could potentially hold their own against you... I mean, unlikely, but I'd still like to err on the side of caution."]  
  
["Mmh..."]  
  
Jersey hammer-fisted yet another wolf, and like the previous three, it slinked away to lick its wounds while four of the remaining five held back. The fifth circled around and seemed to be eyeing Horrors. The feline Familiar licked at his paw and groomed his ear.  
  
"I wouldn't try it, you coyote-mixed mutt." The threat was said in a relaxed tone. The cat yawned, then glared at the Wolf. To Jersey's surprise, it actually backed off a bit, then turned around and ran. Uhhh... Okay.  
  
The remaining four all charged at once. "Maritess, vambraces!" The sword came apart into paper that covered his arms and he hooked them with Jersey's behind him. "Feet reinforcement!" Jersey hastily complied and Will easily lifted up the far shorter girl and spun her around, kicking each of the wolves in the face before setting her down. The wolves shook their heads, clearly shaken.  
  
"That's enough. Withdraw and go tend to yourselves. Maybe breed more of yourselves for me. Saber, stay in Spirit Body form. If they won't go all out against my Familiars, I'll do it myself."  
  
From the nearby treeline, a figure stepped forth. They stuck to the shade, so it was hard to make out their features clearly enough, but they looked incredibly androgynous. Shoulder length raven hair in a straight bob and pale skin gave them Asian features, not helped by their thin build and short height of 5'1". Their eyes were a curious crimson red color while a red choker with a yellow flower on it adorned their neck. A stud pierced their left ear lobe, while they were clad in a baggy casual jacket, a white T-shirt with the logo for Admirable Great Tactics on it, baggy blue cargo jeans, and dirty gray sneakers. One hand was in their jacket's right pocket, while the other finished the last bite of an apple and tossed away the core. Had they been eating that apple as they watched their Familiars work?  
  


  
At that moment, Assassin materialized just behind a tree, adjusting her clothes. Okay, if she just walked out and acted like someone just happening by, she should be able to scare this Master away, what with the Moonlit World's code of secrecy.  
  
Casually walking around the treeline, Assassin waved. "Hey, there! I heard howling, what's going on-YAH!"  
  
Earth rose up around her, encasing her in solid rock. The enemy Master had merely glanced and gestured.  
  
"Nice try, Servant, and I almost fell for it," they said, their voice surprisingly androgynous. "I'm pretty attuned to Mystery, though, and I have no qualms attacking someone who might stumble upon my Moonlit activities. Saber, stay hidden. If their Assassin tries to act, slay her. I want to handle these two Masters myself."  
  
The enemy Master of Saber reached into their jacket and pulled out a Hershey bar. They shredded the wrapper with... claws? Then proceeded to take a bite of the milk chocolate.  
  
Will and Jersey swallowed hard. They were acting so casual... Were they just toying with them by not using their Servant?  
  
"Yes, Saber. I know the Berserker is here. Be ready," they said, casually examining their claws on the hand that wasn't holding the chocolate bar.  
  
Horrors had to cock a brow. They knew Berserker was here in addition to Assassin, hm? But... did they know about the other one?  
  
Jersey rocketed forward. "Wait!" Will called. He hastily readied Healing Magecraft, because what happened next was in the span of a few seconds.  
  
Rearing her fist back, Jersey charged in, her Reinforced feet causing her to rapidly close in on the enemy Magus. The Master of Saber scoffed and, reaching their free hand forward, snapped their fingers, taking a bite of their candy bar in the process.  
  
The burst of fire that engulfed Jersey was so hot, it turned blue. Will actually felt himself sweating from the ambient heat, but he was already working. Heal, heal, heal, heal faster, don't die!  
  
When the fire died, Jersey was kneeling on one knee, panting. Naked, her glasses even gone, but only mild burns thanks to Will's quick work.  
  
"Huh. So he's healing you. Well, then I guess I know who to take out first. After that... I'm actually really thirsty right now." they bared their teeth at the two Magi, showing fangs. "And you both look quite-"  
  
"Uooo!!"  
  
Berserker materialized in his physical body, already bringing down one of his Labrys on the enemy Master. For a split second, genuine fear showed in their crimson eyes, the half-eaten chocolate bar falling to the grass at their feet.  
  
CLANG  
  
Berserker's labrys never hit. The unknown participant was still shaken from the shock, only sighing in relief when they saw the katana stopping the labrys dead in its tracks. "Excellent work, Saber."  
  
"Of course, Master. My duty is to serve."  
  
Standing between Berserker and the enemy Magus was an elegant, beautiful woman with a virtuous aura around her. The Orlando Holy Grail War's Saber.

  
Standing at five foot eight, the Saber was a glamorous woman in the prime of her youth. Cool-headed, her face gave the impression of a stern military woman. Despite her calm and disciplined air, her skin-tight violet armor left little of her curvy figure and massive breasts to the imagination. Her raven hair was long and straight, reaching her ankles and tied at the very end with a red band. Combined with her pale skin, facial features, katana, and the aesthetics on her armored bodysuit, she looked Asian. Samurai-like, in fact.  
  
Will sweat further at the sight of her. He could see it... She was... so powerful! Her Parameters were comparable to Berserker’s!  
  
Berserker grunted. His labrys was in a deadlock with Saber's katana, though it was clear she wasn't exactly having an easy time of it herself. Her hands were steady, but her expression was stern and focused. Still, something about that sword was giving him a bad feeling.  
  
Jersey didn't want to take her eyes off Saber's Master, but she could swear that she didn't feel Horrors nearby... Had he turned tail and ran?  
  
Assassin, meanwhile, finally broke free from the rocks holding her, hey own eyes widening at the sight of the Saber. This was a Servant who could fell her in one swing!  
  
The Magus, on the other hand... Assassin didn't have formal combat training of any sort, but with her E-rank Strength, Endurance, and Agility, she should be able to take them out...  
  
["Master! Pass me Tess! Maybe if I have her, I can take them out..."] Assassin said through the mental link.  
  
Will thought about it. Currently, the enemy Master was picking up their discarded chocolate bar, while Jersey was covering herself and carefully backstepping, not in fear, but to protect her allied Master. Maritess was still armoring his arms and he could feel the support and comfort radiating from her.  
  
He... he hated this. He hated fighting, he hated violence, he hated hurting others. There had to be another way. Currently they were deadlocked, and it didn't look like the enemy Master was going to act unless one of them did, or either Berserker or Saber could break free of their clash. This might be just the right time...  
  
["No. I want to try something."]  
  
"Master of Saber!" Will called out to the enemy Master. They stood in the shade and took a bite out of their chocolate bar, regarding Will with condescending indifference. "I am the Master of Assassin, and I am allied with the Master of Berserker! We don't have to do this! My fellow Master and I have allied ourselves in this Grail War. You could do the same. If we work together, we stand a better chance of winning. I don't want to see any more bloodshed than is necessary..."  
  
The Master of Saber's grip tightened on their chocolate bar, their brow furrowing in a mixture of anger and pain. Pain? "You fool... There can be no allies in a Grail War. One's Servant is just their disposable tool, any other Masters are enemies to be taken out by any means necessary. I don't just want to win this Grail War... I need and _have_ to win this Grail War. And there can only be one winner..."  
  
They raised their other hand, a blue flame lighting on their thumb as they snapped their fingers. "You're too naive and idealistic to survive in this world. Your path ends here, Master of Assassin."  
  
Call it impulsiveness. Call it compassion. Call it stupidity. But as the flame on the enemy Master's hand grew into a blue fireball, two people both rocketed forward to Will's aid. A spy and a demure nerd.  
  
The result was a storm of blood.  
  
Saber stood among two bodies, a sword in each hand and a look of stern duty on her face. Will recognized that the sword in her other hand was one she hadn't had before... Two katana Noble Phantasms?  
  
Feeling mounting dread, he glanced at Berserker to see him lying on the ground, a deep gash from his shoulder to his hip that was festering and smoking in a very unnatural way.  
  
"An... Anti-Demon Noble Phantasm?"  
  
"Very astute, child," the Saber said, her swords held in a Niten Ichi-ryū style. "All of my Noble Phantasms are armaments that have a history of being used to kill monsters, demons, evil spirits, and undead in the legends they are from. They have a super effective attribute against Heroic Spirits that were natural monsters and those who were regarded as monsters or demons in their legend. A single blow can kill your fellow Master's Berserker. He is not long left for this world."  
  
Will's fist clenched. He had to fight back tears, and instead leveled a glare at the shorter woman through his glasses. "You seem like someone with honor... Why do this?"  
  
"I am a Servant in a Holy Grail War. My duty to my Master is the same as my duty to the capital in life. As a Servant in this Holy Grail War, if I am not prepared to kill like I would an oni, then I am not fit to be a soldier. But you are brave to stand steadfast before me."  
  
She glanced over her shoulder. "Master. Shall I fell him in honorable combat, or would you like to do so?"  
  
The enemy Master swallowed their final bite of chocolate, then tossed the wrapper away. "Restrain him. I'm thirsty," they said, baring fangs.  
  
That's when it clicked for Will. Fangs, claws, red eyes, and they were in the shade this entire time.. "A Dead Apostle?"  
  
"Yes. And I. Am. Absolutely. _Parched_."  
  
The parchment covering Will's arms unfolded, reforming into the nude form of Maritess. She stood with her arms held out, as if to shield Will, and despite her petite form and short height, she leveled a glare up at the enemy Saber.  
  
"A golem?" the Dead Apostle noted.  
  
"Child... You are not demon nor oni, and so I have no ill will toward you. You are not a Servant, so I am not required to slay you to win this war. Your duty to your master is admirable, but you lack the power to lay a scratch on me. Stand down, child," the Saber said, her voice calm but not cold.  
  
"No!" Tess cried, her pale eyes continuing to glare daggers at the Saber. "Will is my master! But more than that, he's my friend! I won't let anyone hurt him!"  
  
Will watched the enemy Master, seeing their red eyes soften. It was like they were struggling internally with something. "Saber... Let's just... Why don't you-"  
  
Black butterflies swarmed between Maritess and the Saber, forming into a woman in a blue-gray hooded cloak, carrying a familiar staff.  
  
"Caster?!" Will exclaimed.  
  
"Hmph! Cat, do you have them?"  
  
"Do not underestimate me, witch."  
  
Will looked down to see a short, petite, flat-chested girl dragging Berserker, Assassin, and Jersey to Caster with surprising ease. Saber and her Master only stared in surprise, rather than acting. As Will looked at the strange, nude girl, he noticed the cat ears, a cat tail, and red eyes with yellow sclera... "Horrors?!"

  
"No time to explain, lad. Caster, get us out of here," the catgirl explained.  
  
"You owe me for this. Tροψα!"  
  
The entire group dissipated into black butterflies. Saber and her Master merely watched, the Servant searching for any traces of the presence of other Servants. Sighing, she sheathed her swords, then light began to envelop her armor. In moments, she had changed into a mostly-unbuttoned lavender ruffle blouse, a black pencil skirt, sheer stockings, black heels, and red half-framed glasses. She turned to the Dead Apostle. "There is no trace of Servants in the area, Master. What shall we do?"

  
The Dead Apostle sighed, reaching into their jacket and pulling out a box of strawberry Pocky. They opened the box with their claws and pulled a stick halfway out, offering it to Saber. She gentle accepted it, giving her Master a warm smile.  
  
"Just... Let's head back to the lair. Maybe hit up that bakery I mentioned on the way back for cupcakes or donuts. I'm tired, thirsty, and the wolves need to be fed," they said. Saber had to note their tone lacked its usual edge. She tilted her head to the side a bit as she chewed on her Pocky stick.  
  
"What's wrong?"  
  
"I don't know... Do you think it's possible? Me having allies in this war? Would anyone be willing to accept... me? What I am?"  
  
Saber smiled, walking over and squatting down to wrap her Master in a hug. They visibly relaxed as they sighed into her massive bust. She pulled away a bit, just enough to reach up to adjust her Master's bangs away from their face, the other hand on their shoulder. "Shall I make something for you when we get home, Master? Maybe some dorayaki or melonpan? We still have that cake I baked that you didn't finish..."  
  
They gazed down, a somber expression on their face. "Yeah... Thanks, mo... Saber... I'd like that..."  
  
Saber reached up and booped them on the nose. "No sad face. And you know..." Her warm smile grew. "I wouldn't mind you calling me mom... I know you never had one..."  
  
"Maybe..." the Dead Apostle said. "Anyway, I'm thirsty..."  
  
She stood to her full, statuesque height, calling one of her katana to her hand. "Shall I fetch you a squirrel, Master?"  
  
"Two, please..."  
  
The Servant let out a dignified giggle.


	6. Canon Omake: Rider's Delivery Service [Act 1]

"Here you are, that's a baker's dozen donuts and... Enjoy your day!" She waved as the customer left.  
  
As if on cue, when the door closed, the phone rang. She was quick to answer. "Hello, this is Rock Paper Scissors Bakery, home of the Magic Tart! Try our new delivery service, crispy toasted bread right to your front door! I'm the owner, Gigi Baker! How may I help you?"  
  
She listened and nodded, grabbing a notepad from her apron and hastily scribbling down the order. "Sure! We'll get it baking and when our delivery man comes back from his last order, he'll bring it over in a jiffy!" She hung up, smiling to herself and heading into the back room. She couldn't simply call her. There's no way her busy little baker would notice.  
  
The Rock Paper Scissors Bakery was a small, independent bakery in Orlando, Florida. It had been in her family for generations. In fact, the partially below-ground bakery was so full of sweet smells, they would likely remain years after the business had closed. Part cafe and coffee shop, it was considered an institution of the city and so had stood the test of time, surviving two fires, multiple recessions, and being located in Orlando. She had to admit, business had never been better since hiring her little baker, but now it was positively booming ever since said baker brought her friend on.  
  
She headed into the kitchen, a total of five ovens, three refrigerators, a walk-in freezer, and three counters, all worked overtime by one college-aged girl. With the owner past her prime, and without an heir interested in taking over, she was seriously considering bequeathing the place to her. She might as well have ran the kitchen single-handedly.  
  
Said baker was currently pulling two baking trays out of two separate ovens overhead, spinning them around one-handed and placing each on the counter in front of her. Her short blonde hair was covered in a hairnet while a pair of glasses was perched on her small, button nose, round lenses framing her blue eyes. Deceptively petite, very short, the near-elderly baker had underestimated the girl when she had barreled into her bakery and demanded a job, but... She wasn't regretting it.

She tapped her on the shoulder and the blonde looked up, flour covering one cheek. The owner reached into her pocket and held out the notepad, the order written on it. Her employee saluted, then ran to get going, but another tap on her shoulder stopped her. Her technical boss raised a hand and, with clear motions, began signing in American Sign Language. 'I don't know where you found our new delivery man, but... He's been a blessing, Rebecca. I'm just amazed he can deliver so fast on a wagon!'  
  
The girl grinned but then abruptly stopped midway through turning, pausing. 'Wagon? Not bicycle?' she signed.  
  
'Errr, yes. He insisted his wagon was faster," her boss signed back.  
  
Rebecca silently sighed, then cracked her knuckles. Huh... Gigi Baker knew that look. Her new delivery man was in for it later!  
  
The bell rang and the owner again returned to the counter, spouting a familiar face. "Oh! Akira! Good to see you again! How've you been? I don't think I've seen you in a week! That's not like you!"  
  
The short youth stepped forward, but following them was a tall woman, also of Asian features. She cocked an eyebrow at the statuesque, elegant, voluptuous woman, particularly the way her blouse was unbuttoned so far. "Who's this, Aki? Someone from the college?"  
  
"No," they said. "She's my, uh..."  
  
"I'm their mother," the woman said, placing her hands on Akira's shoulders. "Mitsu Yamada. I'm sorry, I've been working a lot, mostly abroad. My child has told me so much about you, though! The best baked goods in town, right? You know, I'm quite a baker myself. I'd love to trade tips with you."  
  
The owner smiled. Well, Gigi was certainly caught-off guard to meet Akira's mother. The youth was in the RPS Bakery anywhere between once a week to twice a day to sample their pastries and confections. She'd never seen anyone with such a voracious appetite for sweets and dairy, they were literally the only thing she'd ever seen them eat.  
  
"Well, it's wonderful to meet you, Ms. Yamada! Aki's my best customer! You _are_ making sure they get more than just sugar and milk in their diet, though, aren't you?" She smiled at the two, though there was a visible dark, cold aura to her smile that made both of then stiffen and shudder.  
  
"Y-Yes, Miss Owner! I'm making them a nice, healthy dinner later tonight! Rest assured!" Mitsu exclaimed.  
  
Just like that, the airborne pressure faded, and the owner returned to a more genuine smile. "Good! Now, the usual grab bag of cupcakes, donuts, and cookies, Aki?"  
  
"Mmh..." they said noncommittally, glancing away. Huh, normally they couldn't get enough of the RPS Bakery's pastries... Was something on their mind? Or was it just the awkwardness of a young adult walking around with their mother?  
  
No, that couldn't be it... If anything, from the way they stood so close and the lack of edge to their mannerisms, she'd swear Akira was relieved to have their mother in their company...  
  
Shrugging it off, she said "I'll go give the order to Rebecca!" Turning, she entered the kitchen again, already finding her little baker slipping the mixed pastries into the oven.  
  
Likely sensing her presence and being less distracted this time, she looked up, grinning. 'Like clockwork! Our best customer is a bit late today, so these should be ready sooner than usual,' Rebecca signed after pulling off her oven mitt.  
  
The owner nodded, then raised her own hand to sign. 'Say, when our delivery man gets back, did you want to take your fifteen? I know you want to give him a piece of your mind.'  
  
Rebecca's grin was wicked.


End file.
